Matters Of The Heart
by ShadowKing1988
Summary: After losing everything except his life in a tragic accident, James finds himself starting over. He opens a flower shop, and enjoys success. What he didn't count on was seeing a familiar face from his past, and the events that occur thereafter. JAML
1. From This Moment On

**Matters Of The Heart**

** A/N: Alright, my new FirebirdShipping fic (or at least the start of it) is up! This time, I have a better story to work with than what I had in mind for my previous attempt. I hope you enjoy!**

** Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. But I think we all knew that.**

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**Chapter 1: From This Moment On**

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_"It's bad enough to risk one's liberties, but human lives? Do you have any idea how bad you made Team Rocket look? How bad you made _me_ look?!"_

_ "N-No, Boss, but I swear, what happened in those mines was not my fault!"_

_ "Oh, really? Then why is it that there's just one clown standing in my office instead of the usual three?"_

_ "It was an unfortunate accident, the circumstances of which were beyond my control. There was nothing I could've done to save Jessie or Meowth."_

_ "So let me get this straight. The three of you bozos go down into those abandoned mines on the belief of some all-powerful gem, and in attempting to harvest that gemstone, riled the resident creatures into a frenzy that triggered a collapse, and that against all odds, you were the sole survivor, the only one to make it out alive?"_

_ "Yes."_

_ "How very interesting…Tell me, how is it that you made it out alive, and yet your teammates weren't so lucky?"_

_ "I don't know."_

_ "Ah, but I think you do know. I happen to think that you abandoned your partners and left them to their deaths."_

_ "No! I would never leave my best friends alone to die in the dark!"_

_ "It just doesn't make much sense to me. You supposedly faced the same perils, and yet, you're alive and your companions aren't. Are you telling me it's simple coincidence that kept your own life intact?"_

_ "I don't know how else to put it, unless you want to hear about the higher powers that be."_

_ "No, I don't want to hear it. I don't want to hear about any guardian angels or any of that other nonsense. No, this does not make sense to me at all. I'm still convinced that the only way you could've survived a tragedy like that is to have abandoned your teammates."_

_ "That's not what happened! When the ceiling of the main cavern start caving in, we abandoned our efforts to claim our prize in the hopes of making our escape. We didn't quite reach the first passage when a boulder squashed Meowth. The sight was unpleasant, but it was obvious there was nothing we could've done about it. Besides, the tunnels themselves were closing up with fallen rock, and we had to get out. We were nearing the exit when a wild Golem tried blasting its way out, and the resulting explosion sent jagged rocks flying through the air. Some of those cut Jessie's leg up badly, and seconds later, a boulder shifted onto her other leg. I tried freeing her, but she told me to stop. She told me to go on, that it would be pointless for all of us to perish in there. I knew then that there was nothing I could do for her, and it was her dying wish that I make my way out. I made it to the outside world just before the main entrance tunnel collapsed completely."_

_ "An unlikely story. Hmm…I'm still not thoroughly convinced, though, that you didn't leave them behind, that you didn't try absolutely everything possible."_

_ "Dammit, what _will_ make you believe, then?!"_

_ "Watch your tone with me! You're not the one facing difficulties because of this!"_

_ "You think I'm not having a hard time dealing with this, too?! I almost died in there, and I lost two people that I've know more than half my life!!"_

_ "Do you know what it's like to have to quell all the rumors that've been going around lately? Every single person in my employ knows the risks of their job. It's one thing to risk one's liberties. I won't have them thinking they have their lives on the line as well."_

_ "…"_

_ "For nearly a decade, there's really been only one good thing about you three besides your unwavering loyalty to Team Rocket: that if I were to lose any of you, it would be of no great loss to me or my organization. I'm sorry it had to come to this, but I think it would be best if –"_

_ "No! You can't! Everything I am, everything I've been these last ten years, has been intimately tied in with Team Rocket!"_

_ "I'm not cutting you loose. I can't have that. You've been in the organization too long. What I'm trying to do is give you something you can't fail at. Something that won't give you the chance to inflict any more harm to anybody else. I don't know if you're guilty or not in the loss of your two comrades, but this is all I can do to remedy the situation. I expect to see you in my office again Monday morning. We'll finish this discussion then."_

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That was half an hour ago. Definitely the worst experience he'd had in the boss's office in a long time, and it only added insult to the injury of what happened two days ago. In short, it was a homecoming he'd like to forget. Presently, he thought of his current predicament.

James Thompson. Twenty-nine years old. Ten of those years had been spent in the employ of Team Rocket. Ten wonderful years, and the organization gave him almost everything he ever wanted.

James took off his Team Rocket coat and black gloves. He examined them closely, letting the memories fill his mind. He realized that everything the organization gave to him, he lost. But he was still in Team Rocket. He was sure to get something back…

No. Nothing could ever replace what he lost. Everything died in the mines with his friends. All he had left was his life in the present. The past was the past – there could be no going back. The future was uncertain. One thing he did know about the future, though – there would be no more Team Rocket. As he chucked the garments into a dumpster, he shed himself of the only life he'd know for a decade. It was painful, but it was necessary if he was to move on. From this moment on, he was his own man, in complete control of his own destiny.

_But where to begin anew? _James pondered this question before realizing that here was not the place. Maybe up north, down south, or even out west, but definitely not here.


	2. A Fresh Start

**Chapter 2: A Fresh Start**

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed (and favorited!) so far. This chapter's still setting up for the main story, but it'll be more exciting than the last one.**

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Four days later, James found himself standing at the front doorway to his family's summer-getaway home in the Hoenn Region. He still wasn't sure if this was where to begin anew, but at least it was far away from Viridian City. For the time being, he needed some comforting advice, and he knew just who to get it from – Nanny and Pop-Pop.

James stepped up to the door and was about to knock, then hesitated. He hadn't seen his grandparents in a few years and, to be quite honest, he wasn't very good at calling or writing letters. Granted, his schemes ate up much of his time over the years, but the fact he didn't keep in touch with his relatives was simply inexcusable. There was nothing he could do about all that now, though. It was time to just move on, and after mustering up some courage, he managed to strike his fist against the wooden door a couple times.

A couple seconds passed, and before James could ponder whether to knock again, the door slowly opened. An old man stepped out and proceeded to look his visitor in the face. His eyes widened upon recognizing his guest.

"James? …James! It is you!"

"Yep, it's me, alright."

The old man took his taller grandson into a tight embrace.

"It's good to see you again after such a long time! Come in, come in! We have a lot to talk about!"

"Um, alright," James said as he followed his grandfather into the house.

A few minutes later, James had been greeted by his grandmother, and the three of them were now sitting down to drink tea and catch up.

"Well, James," the old man began. "I'm sure this'll come as no surprise to you, but your parents are still out there traveling the world. It amazes me how you can spend so much time traveling around the globe and still see only a tiny fraction of it all."

"Indeed," his wife added. "It makes you realize just how big the world we live in really is."

"I figured they'd be doing that. I'm glad to hear that all is well with them."

"Yes, and they've been asking about you, James. Between your grandfather and I, we know you've been holding up quite well, and you seem rather happy with your way of life. But enough about us, what about you? How've things been on your end?"

"Eh, they've been better. I've been through a rough patch this last week."

"Oh? Care to talk about it?"

"You don't have to talk about it now if you don't want to. We'll understand."

"But I do want to talk about it. See, what happened was, me, Jessie, and Meowth found out about this wonderful gemstone last week. Supposedly, it had the power to boost your strength to unimaginable levels. So, we went out looking for it, to see if it really did exist. We found it deep inside a cave not far from the Indigo Plateau. It was a glittery red stone, stuck in the middle of a giant pillar that connected the ground to the ceiling. We were fools to try and take it. Our jackhammers upset the resident Pokémon, but that wasn't all. No sooner did we pull out the stone, then the roof of the cave began caving in. I don't know why exactly – maybe my guardian angel was watching over me – but somehow, I managed to reach the exit of that cursed area. My best friends were not so lucky. They… They…" James could not finish his sentence. In sadness, he hung his head.

"You poor thing. That's a crying shame, what happened to your pals. I'm sure that you did the best you could for them, and that they're watching you from a better place."

"Thank you for that. That makes me feel a bit better. But it isn't just them that are down there with all that rubble. I realized a few days ago that everything I had, everything I was, I lost on that one day. I couldn't carry on like that anymore. So, I renounced my life of crime and I came here to seek your insights."

"Well, James, I can't say I wouldn't do the same thing if I were in your shoes right now. I'm sorry to hear you've had such a rough time of it lately, but I believe that it was wise of you to come looking for help. We'll do anything to help you move on with your life. Perhaps we should start by taking your standing into consideration."

"Okay."

"Now, I understand that your old way of life has been forcedly ended, and you want to make a fresh start of things. Right now, though, you don't have much to make that new start. Therefore, your dear grandmother and I will be more than happy to give you whatever it is you need. We want you to find a life that you can be happy with. So… What do you think is something you'd like to do, at least for the foreseeable future?"

James pondered this a bit before responding. "I guess I'd like to open my own flower shop. To me, flowers make everything seem a bit better, and I was always a better businessman than a robber."

"And so we shall help you to get started with that. I'll see if I can't find a vacant property to get you set up in," the old man spoke. His wife nodded her head.

"That's a lovely idea. A flower shop. You know, that reminds me of something. Jessibelle was in the area not too long ago, looking all over for you. I guess she's still intent on finding you and marrying you."

"_Not her!_ Anybody _but_ that mad woman!" James shrieked. Both his grandparents chuckled, though.

"Well, when last we spoke with your parents, they indicated you weren't too fond of her. However, they do still hope that you'll find yourself a nice girl to share your life with."

"Of course they do."

"And?"

"…And what?"

"Well, do you have someone?"

"Well, uh, not at the moment. I sort of did, but…yeah, I don't have anyone."

"Oh, my. That's too bad. You're almost thirty years old and you don't have a girlfriend. That breaks my heart to see you all alone like this."

"Eh, don't let your grandmother make you feel bad, James! I'm sure that one of these days you'll meet up with a girl that you really like."

"Sure."

James didn't know what else to talk about, and his grandparents were evidently considering their next talking point. Before the silence could become too long for comfort, a buzzing noise sounded from the kitchen.

"I better head in there. Dinner'll be ready in a few minutes, so why don't you guys just sit tight until I call for you, okay?"

"Alright, dear."

As the old woman got up and went into the other room, the old man faced James again.

"You know, you're welcome to stay here with us as long as you need to. We really don't mind having you around."

"Thank you, Pop-Pop," James responded. The old man smiled, then picked up the newspaper from the side of his chair, opened it up, and began reading it. James saw on the front cover a picture of a young man with long green hair standing triumphantly with a pokéball in one hand.

"Who's that?"

The old man turned to the front cover to see the picture. "Oh, that guy? That's Drew Hayden. That young feller's been all over the place, making quite the name for himself, what with all the grand festivals he's won over the years. In fact, he's so close to being a hall-of-famer, all he needs is to win this year's grand festival in Evergrande City. The ironic thing is, his girlfriend's in the same position, and most people (myself included) believe that it's ultimately going to be those two that compete for the championship. I can't remember her name, I do remember that she's the sister of the Petalburg gym leader. Maybe I can find it somewhere in this article…"

His search was interrupted by his wife's call to dinner.

"Ah, well, I guess it doesn't matter. C'mon, young man, let's not let dinner get cold waiting for us!"

"Right."


	3. Little Shop Of Laughter

**Chapter 3: Little Shop Of Laughter**

**A/N: Those of you who are observant will have noted that I posted this story under the genres of romance and humor. Well, this is where the humor factor comes in. Enjoy.**

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Both James and his Pop-Pop spent the next few days tearing the classifieds apart in search of both residences and prospective business sites. Before long, they found both in Verdanturf. The apartment was a small one (two bedrooms, one bathroom, and a kitchen/dining area setup), but it was enough to accommodate a single man, and it was conveniently located a couple blocks from the soon-to-be flower shop. Once all the phone calls, payments, and legal agreements had been squared away, James was ready to begin a new way of living.

To finish the set-up process (as well as make a proper farewell/good-luck gift), Nanny donated a good portion of her flower garden to James's cause. This included many seeds and bulbs so that he could grow his own beds and keep the business running. Once making sure he was all settled in, the old folks took their leave, but not before reminding him he was always welcome in their home.

The following day, James officially opened the doors of _Chez Bouquet_, his first ever legit business. Although James had dreamed of going into business many times before, he never thought he'd actually see it come to reality. Yet here it was, and he was eager to see how he'd fare. He expected it would do well – there were surprisingly few flower stores throughout the entire Hoenn Region.

Throughout the day, a few people came through the shop, and some of them purchased any one of the number of flower varieties James had. Even though James was knowledgeable about the flowers he sold, he was partial to roses. Daisies were joyous, lilacs stimulated the sense of smell, and petunias were a delight to behold, but nothing could compare to the symbolic passion of a rose. It was his favorite flower, even if it wasn't the highest-selling.

Near closing time, James had finished watering the plants in the empty shop and was preparing to count his income when a pair of customers walked in. James looked up, and immediately felt a twinge of panic. The two individuals who came in were wearing the traditional black outfits of Team Rocket. Worse yet, it was the very pair James had so much contempt for over the years. Butch and Cassidy.

As Cassidy began wandering the various parts of the shop, Butch walked over to the counter that James stood behind.

"Well, well, well, Cass. Look what we got here!" he called.

"Can't you see that I'm busy having a look around?" Cassidy snapped.

Butch glared at her before turning to face James.

"So what is all this? You know you can't hide from the boss. He's been lookin' for you for a few days now."

James was not about to make any acknowledgment to his former life. He definitely wasn't about to give his upstart former rival the satisfaction, either. He'd simply act as he had throughout the day: an honest merchant.

"What sort of flowers would your boss be interested in? Perhaps a rose for the woman in his life?"

Butch was taken aback by this bizarre suggestion. He shook it off, though, and pressed the issue further.

"No. He was looking for _you_. Wants to know why you disappeared on Team Rocket."

"Your name, sir?" James said, continuing to play dumb to Butch's advances.

"Okay, fine, I see how it is. If you wanna play games, we can play games. Ahem. I am Archibald McCoy, and –" Butch said as he pulled out a credit card and placed it on the counter as though role playing. James cut him off mid-sentence.

"No, you're not."

"Yes, I am."

"I know for a fact your name is not Archibald McCoy."

"…Would you just shut your trap, you stupid –"

"Butch, quit fooling around with him!" Cassidy said as she walked up to the counter.

"See? I told you your name wasn't Archibald," James cheekily spoke.

"I'm not fooling around!" Butch protested. "He's the one that wanted to screw around and play games!"

"Evening, ma'am. Which variety of flower will be your pleasure for this evening?" James asked.

"You got a lot of nerve to run off like that. You know the boss doesn't take loose cannons running off lightly. Not that he'd still consider you to be in his employ, but now that we've found you, have we got something special planned!"

Secretly, James was very much amused by irking his former rivals. He decided that this was something he'd very much like to milk for all it was worth. His business couldn't hurt too much from insulting these lowlifes (not that he expected their business to begin with).

"Well, first of all, let me say congratulations on your engagement. Would you agree with me if I said that pink roses would be perfect for the wedding?"

Butch and Cassidy both looked at each other with faces that one would have after eating a lemon before facing James.

"_No…_"

"Oh, of course not. Pink would not go terribly well with white. Maybe an exotic blue rose instead?"

"We're not engaged, smart one."

"Please accept my humble apologies. It was wrong of me to make that assumption. You couldn't possibly be engaged still if you've already tied the knot!"

"…We're not married, either."

"Oh, I'm just terrible today! I apologize once again. Please forgive me, sir, if I have caused either you or your sister any offense."

"_She's not my fuckin' sister, dumbass!_" Butch snarled. Cassidy simply shook her head, then started heading towards the doorway.

"Let's go, Bass. It's obvious he's not going to talk, and we shouldn't have even bothered with him from the get-go."

"My name's not Bass, it's Butch."

Before the two could leave, James smirked as he thought of one final remark to get the last lick in.

"You and your mother have a nice evening, and be safe, little Billy."

Cassidy had already walked out the door, leaving it to Butch to make the reply.

"She's not my mother, I'm not little, _my name is Butch, __**not**__ Billy, and if I __**ever**__ see your stupid grin again, I'll whup you so hard the bright red blood flowing out of your nose will put your damn plants to shame!_"

With that, the door slammed shut. James let loose with his pent-up laughter. It was totally worth it. Best of all, he had a feeling he'd never have to deal with those two ever again.

Until he saw Butch's credit card still on the counter.

James gazed at the thin plastic card. There was no telling how much money was on that. He could simply take it for his own, and go on a shopping spree. Much of his life was spent in poverty, and he gladly accepted money whenever and wherever he could find it. For a moment, he reached his hand out to take it.

Then he stopped. It was not his to take, and he had renounced the life of a thief for good. He would rather have the hardest lifestyle possible than to throw his newfound integrity away. In fact, as he looked closer at the card, the name he saw wasn't even Butch's. It had belonged to someone by the name of Brendan Birch. James had no idea who that could be (_'a relative of the late Professor Birch, perhaps?'_), but for Brendan's sake, he had to get rid of this card.

Taking out a lighter, James held the card over the flame, melting it down to nothing. James then felt a sense of relief and pride. He'd done the right thing. Not only was this Brendan guy safe from any further fraudulent charges, but James had actually overcome a temptation that would bring him back to the chaotic ruins of his old ways. This was, by far, a very good day. If only there could be more days like this that gave enrichment to life, this would be the perfect way of life.

As it was, James had no intentions of changing anything. This was what he truly wanted. To say the least, that was all he needed to be happy.


	4. Not That Kinda Guy

**Chapter 4: Not That Kinda Guy**

**A/N: Alright, this is where I finally stop messing around with the setting and finally get into the good parts, otherwise known as the main plot. Translation: some key characters come into the spotlight.**

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'Refreshed' was only one word to describe how James felt upon awakening the next morning. As he pulled open the curtains of his bedroom, the golden rays of the rising sun illuminated everything with their brilliance. Mixing that with the lingering feelings of last night made James feel like as though this would be the best day ever.

However, trouble was on the horizon. Mere hours after opening shop, James was keeping an eye on things when he heard the bell jingle, indicating the door opened. Who he saw in the doorway gave him the chills. Jessibelle. To make matters worse, she eyed him nearly the instant he eyed her.

'_Please don't remember me, please don't remember me,_' James thought repeatedly.

"Well, there you are, James! After all this time, I've found you at last!" she exclaimed, shattering whatever hopes James had.

James pondered what to do next, but panic led him to go with the first idea that crossed his mind.

"Greetings, ma'am! Welcome to _Chez Bouquet_. How may I help you today?"

Jessibelle seemed hurt by this. "'Ma'am'? You mean, you don't remember who I am?"

"I don't want to sound rude, Ma'am, but I don't think we've ever met before."

James felt a twinge of horror when he saw how quickly the look of hurt turned to one of anger, and almost no time later, Jessibelle's hand soared through the air, making a distinctive smack sound as it came into contact with James's face.

James rubbed the reddening skin for a moment, then decided the jig was up for that idea.

"Oh, yeah! I remember now! You're Jessibelle!"

"Glad you remembered," Jessibelle smiled, before frowning again and slapping James on the other cheek.

"OW! _What was that for?!_"

"That is for making me run all over this green earth, for making me wait almost a decade, and for putting me on the verge of losing my sanity, just to find you and get you to settle down!"

"Whoa, let's slow things down a bit! Can't we just talk about this?"

"No. I've found you now, and if I have to drag you down the aisle and put words in your mouth, _then I will!_ I may have lost you before, but never again will I let you leave my sight!"

Jessibelle was leaning over the counter, whereas James was slowly taking steps back. He gulped. There was no evident way out of this tight spot. She had him cornered, and he was helpless against her advances.

Just then, the bell jingled again, and a brunette woman walked in.

'_A customer! This is exactly what I need to get out of this mess!_" James thought, though he realized from watching the newcomer's browsing that salvation would be a few minutes to come.

"Hey! Eyes over here, bucko!" Jessibelle scolded, which a terrified James complied with. "I was thinking that after the wedding, we could move in with your grandparents and help them out, at least until they pass on and give the house to us. Hopefully, we'll have a couple of kids before your folks decide to move us to that big, wonderful mansion of theirs."

As James listened to this ramble, he had visions, none of which were pleasing. Taking Nanny and Pop-Pop's place seemed like the wrong thing to do, having kids would mean being subject to torture (James long suspected Jessibelle of having a fetish for Sadism), and the heck with it if he was gonna let Jessibelle get ahold of his family's fortune. No, to hell with doing any of that with Jessibelle. He was not that kind of guy.

As expected, the brunette woman came up to the counter moments later with a bunch of cream- colored carnations. Now was James's chance to extricate himself from this nightmarish conversation.

"If you'll excuse me, I'm still on the clock, and I have a policy of giving top priority to my customers," James said as he turned to the other woman on the other side of the counter.

"You're not getting off that easily!" Jessibelle exclaimed. She then shoved the brunette aside, stating, "Move, I was here first!"

Before she could continue her verbal barrage, however, the brunette shoved back.

"That might be the case, but it's clear you're not here to talk business with this fine gentleman, and I am!"

James was flattered by the 'fine gentleman' reference. However, he still wasn't quite out of hot water yet, as Jessibelle forced her way into James's line of sight once again.

"You're wrong. I _do_ have business with him, and it's very personal!"

"Oh, and mine isn't? I think _you're_ the one who's wrong!" the feisty brown-haired woman declared as she counter-shoved Jessibelle again.

Jessibelle huffed and dusted herself off, then turned to James.

"You got lucky this time, but I'll be back. That's a promise!" she shouted as she exited the shop. James lowered his head onto the countertop in both relief and in despair of the future.

"Um, excuse me? Sir?"

James quickly realized he still had a customer on the other side of the counter. He stood up as fast as he could.

"My apologies! How may I help you?"

"Yes, I'd like to purchase this lovely bouquet of carnations, and would you happen to have a slip of paper and a pencil handy, by any chance?"

"I most certainly do," James said as he traded the paper and pencil for the woman's cash. As he rang up the transaction, the woman began writing something. She spoke as she wrote.

"I'm getting these for my good friend, Professor Brendan Birch. Poor guy's in the hospital right now. Apparently, he got mugged by a pair of despicable nitwits who have absolutely no life at all, and –"

James let loose a snicker, but quickly pressed his hands to his mouth. The woman looked up at him and frowned.

"What? It's not funny!"

"Of course not, but I thought the way you worded it was kind of amusing."

The young lady arched her eyebrows, then smiled and resumed writing.

"Yeah, I guess it was, now that I think about it. But as I was saying, my friend got beat up real bad, and I wanted to get him some kind of a get-well-soon gift. And it just so happens I was in town and found your little shop here! I gotta say, I didn't even know there was a flower shop in Verdanturf!"

"Well, that's because I just got settled into town the other day. I was surprised that there were so few flower shops in this region, beautiful as it is!"

"I know what you mean!"

Both smiled, then started really looking at each other, getting the feeling they knew one another from some other time and place. The resulting silence was broken by the ringing of the lady's cell phone, which she promptly answered.

"Hey, hun! …I'm at this new flower shop …Yes, there's one in town, it just opened! It's called the _Chez Bouquet_ …What, right now? Seriously? …Alright, I'll be back over there in just a few minutes."

She shot an apologetic look at James as she hung up and packed away her phone. "My boyfriend. I swear, he can be such a control freak at times."

"I know that feeling."

"Yeah, I kinda gathered you weren't too comfortable with that woman around. Looks like we've both got high-pressure people in our lives. I gotta get going here, but I'll tell you what. Me and a few of the other coordinators going to the Grand Festival are gonna have some contest battles tomorrow just so we stay on top of things. I'd be honored if you could make it. That is, if you aren't too busy with things here…"

"Tomorrow's all open for me! I'll be there!" James blurted out.

The woman giggled. "Alright, then. See you tomorrow, kind sir."

As the brunette left, James wondered what happened over the last few minutes between himself and that young lady. More interesting yet, he hadn't even gotten her name and somehow felt compelled to accept her invitation. He wondered if that was indeed the wise thing to do.

Of course, it was either that or risk another unfortunate encounter with Jessibelle, and for James, that choice was a no-brainer. But what if she saw him and knew who he was, who he had been?

Then he realized, he didn't have to worry about that. He was not that kind of guy anymore.


	5. An Awkward Affair

**Chapter 5: An Awkward Affair**

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James threw open his curtains the next morning, only to be blinded by a flash of lightning. Seconds later, the whole house shook as the thunder roared throughout the sky.

'_This is certainly not a pleasant morning,_' James thought. Certainly, the weather was unusually foul, and it didn't take the heavy downpour of rain to figure that out. Fortunately, the distance from his apartment to the contest hall was not terribly far, being only twice the distance as the walk to his shop. He threw on some blue jeans, shoes, shirt, a dark-blue hoodie, tied his hair into a ponytail, and was off.

En route to the contest hall, James was surprised by how much water had fallen – there were parts of the sidewalk that had become submerged under a few inches of rainwater. More disturbing yet, as James came within sight of his shop, he saw a familiar figure standing outside the door, alternately looking in and looking around. _Jessibelle_. James was doubly glad he had his hood up, lest she look in his direction and recognize him. All the same, he acted upon impulse and ran the rest of the way to the contest hall.

Even though the activities within the hall were not official contests, participants and visitors alike were strongly encouraged to have their contest passes. This presented a bit of a dilemma for James. He did have a contest pass – it was just outdated. _By over a decade_. Who knew what all was involved with renewing outdated passes, let alone one that expired so long ago?

Fortunately, there were no major hassles in getting a new pass. All he simply had to do was give his name and have his picture taken. In no time at all, James had in his possession a brand new contest pass. This was reason to be excited and at the same time to be remorseful. Poor sweet Jessie, how she would have loved to be here right now…

But today was gloomy enough without rehashing the past. Upon entering the main contest battling area, James took a seat in the stands and watched as the introductions proceeded. Not surprisingly, the stands were largely empty, but there was a small turnout of spectators.

As the introductions ended and the matchups began, James recalled two of the participants. Drew Hayden, a tall young man with matted grass-green hair, was familiar from his Pop-Pop's paper several days ago. The coordinator seemed to be very vain, as he had a habit of flicking strands of hair out of his face religiously. James had yet to see if this was a show of confidence or a subtle hint of nervousness. Despite having never personally met Drew before, James was nonetheless certain he knew the prospective champ before.

Equally familiar was May Maple. James instantly recognized her as the woman who had been a patron at his establishment the day before. The young lady was familiar, but so too was her name. It still didn't click in his mind, but he was more than certain he had known her for a very long time. It was an association as old as his previous contest pass.

The appeals were, as always, dazzling. One guy had his Charmander, Totodile, and Turtwig use their respective specialties against the ground. At first unclear, soon the Japanese symbol for fire was ablaze, the ground was soaked in the shape of the symbol for water, and leaves formed the symbol of grass. Another coordinator managed to produce an elaborate ice sculpture by combining the powers of ice and wind.

The battle rounds took place, and were no less eye-candy than the appeals. The last match-up was May and Drew, but the battle had hardly begun when a bang of thunder rumbled, and the lights went out in the building. In the pitch-dark area, there were cries of shock and murmurs of disappointment.

"Boo!" a voice called in the dark.

"Hey, shut it! It's nobody's fault the power went out!" James responded.

"Hey, pal! I came here to be bedazzled, not shut out in the dark!"

"The way I see it, you didn't pay squat to see anything, so what are you complaining for?"

"Get the heck outta here, loser!"

"Screw you!" James shouted back, before attempting to find the exit.

* * *

He made it outside, where the rain was still coming down in torrents. In the distance, he could see some electrical workers attempting to restore a felled power line – clearly, a bolt of lightning had knocked it out. Despite there being no direct source of power to many nearby buildings, a few stores were still operating on back-up power.

James pondered what to do now. It was early afternoon, and although he had no desire to go home just yet, he could not think of what else to do on such a dreary day. He didn't have to wait long, though.

"Hey, you!"

James knew that voice. Sure enough, he turned to see May standing beside him. She was wearing a white parka with the hood up over her head.

"Hey!" he responded.

"Sorry about this whole power outage. I know you came to see some contests, but now you can't. Guess what, though?"

"What?"

"See that little java joint over there?" May asked, pointing at the café. It was one of the few businesses still operational, thanks to its back-up generator.

"Yeah…"

"Since your fun was cut so short, why don't we get ourselves something to drink? My treat."

"Well…" James began, rubbing the back of his head nervously. He looked in the direction of his shop, and was mortified to see a soaked Jessibelle _still_ standing at the door. Rather than take _any_ chance of running into her, and starting to feel cool, James was in no real position to refuse. "Alright."

The two made their way into the shop, where May took off her parka. James ordered a mocha with a double shot of espresso, and May got herself a French vanilla cappuccino. True to her word, May picked up the tab with the barista. They then sat down at a round table.

"Oh, there's Drew!" May exclaimed.

Sure enough, the green-haired coordinator made his way into the shop, saw May with James, and took a seat with them.

"I don't believe we've met," he began.

"Oh, Drew! This is my friend, um…" May began, only then realizing she'd never gotten his name.

"James. Thompson," he said quickly.

"Ah, James. Well, I seem to recall seeing you in the crowd of spectators. My dad wasn't exactly happy with you."

"Your dad?"

"The guy you had the scuffle with after the power went out in the contest hall?"

"Oh, yeah. That reminds me, he can screw himself."

"_Watch it_," Drew snarled.

May laughed nervously. "Well, this is certainly strange weather we're having, isn't it?" she asked, hoping to change the subject.

"May! You're supposed to back me up!"

"What? Your dad loses his cool over the stupidest things, Drew! I agree with James, he can go screw himself for all I care!"

"Whatever," Drew sighed. True, his dad was not exactly a good role model, but he was still his dad. The issue was not worth fighting over, though.

Just then, another person entered the cozy café, dripping wet.

"…JAMES?! _About time I found you! Where the hell have you been all day?!_"

'_Not good. This is so not good,_' James thought as the redheaded Jessibelle sat down with the three.

"…Why are you so wet?" Drew asked.

"Gee, I don't know, maybe because _an irresponsible shopkeeper decided to take a vacation on the crummiest day in existence!!!_" As she spoke, Jessibelle glared at James, who fearfully slid into his seat.

"…I have a right to take a vacation…" James squeaked quietly.

"…Right," Drew concluded. "I'm gonna get myself a nice hot latte…"

While Drew was away, James continued to cower in his seat. Jessibelle noticed May sitting on the other side of the table.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the little troublemaker from the other day."

"Humph."

"Don't get to thinking you can keep James from me forever. _He's mine_. I saw him first."

"Har-dee-har-har. Where do you get the idea I like him? All I was doing was getting some flowers for a good friend, and it was simply just luck that he had a duty to me first, so if I were you, I wouldn't be getting all riled up right now."

"I'm the woman in his life!"

"Yeah? Well, his cowering tells me otherwise."

"He just needs time to get used to the idea of this arranged marriage."

"What arranged marriage?" Drew asked, returning to his seat with a cup of latte in one hand.

"Butt out, you! You shouldn't jump into conversations that don't concern you!" Jessibelle screeched.

"_Geez,_ sorry I asked," Drew responded, flicking a stand of hair.

"…We're not engaged," James spoke.

Jessibelle looked at James, her face one of displeasure.

"Well, tough luck for you! You're mine and there's nothing you can do to change that!"

May didn't know what to do. She felt pity for James, but knew she could only do so much to help him. She was already in a relationship, and he evidently was as well.

"Drew, my boy! There you are!" a man with dark-green hair bellowed, and began heading over to them, holding a cup of espresso in his two hands.

"Hey…dad," Drew replied. Even for him, the situation was awkward, and adding his dad to this chaotic group would definitely up the ante of craziness.

"Hello, May!" the man said as he sat, took May's hand, and kissed it.

"Hi, Mr. Hayden," she greeted sweetly.

Mr. Hayden then saw Jessibelle and a tuft of blue hair sticking out from under the table.

"Whoa, who's this hot young thing here?" Mr. Hayden asked, looking at Jessibelle.

"I'm Jessibelle Smith. And if you don't mind, I'm already taken."

"Oh, that's too bad. You know, way back in the day, all the young ladies wanted to have a good ol' time on the ol' Haydenmeister!"

"_DAD!_"

"Are these people you guys' friends?"

"More like acquaintances, dad," Drew replied, feeling a bit embarrassed.

"So, who's the lucky man?" Mr. Hayden asked, oblivious to how much embarrassment he was causing his son.

"This fine fellow down here…_James, get up from down there!_"

The blue tuft rose up to reveal James, who sat upright in his seat.

"Hello."

For a moment, Mr. Hayden thought about the voice, and instantly recognized it. Arching his eyebrows, he faced Jessibelle.

"_You're with this miserable son of a bitch?!_"

"Dad, calm down!" Drew pleaded.

"Hey, don't go calling my husband-to-be a son of a bitch, you son of a bitch!"

"Don't talk about my dad like that!"

"What my son said!"

"…Really, dad? _Really?_ That was just lame!" Drew cried out, burying his face into his hands.

May quickly downed her drink. Even though it burned her tongue, she needed an excuse to get more drinks and, hopefully, put an end to the arguments.

"I'm going back for seconds, anyone else need anything?"

"I need the restroom," James said meagerly, getting up and heading over to the men's room. As he passed Drew, he leaned over and whispered, "Screw your dad."

"_HEY!!!_"

* * *

Drew got up while his father and Jessibelle continued to have at it. He motioned May over.

"May."

"Yeah?"

"I know you like the roses I give you, but I didn't think you'd get so addicted to them as to invite the flower guy to coffee!"

"He's more than that, Drew. He's a friend."

"Right, well, let's just hope it stays that way, okay?"

"Fine."

"That's my girl."

He pulled May into a hug, and was just about kiss her when his father made a rather unnerving comment.

"I swear, I'd smack you if you weren't such a major hottie!" Mr. Hayden declared.

"One thing, bub, _my eyes are up here!_" Jessibelle shot back.

"I know, sweetcheeks, but not all women I've ever been with think their eyes are on their faces!"

"Ugh, you _disgust_ me!"

"Well, I've had quite enough of this arguing, so if you'll excuse me, I need to get myself to the little boy's room before I make a mess of myself!"

Drew broke his embrace on May, no longer feeling like smooching.

* * *

In the men's room, James was in a bathroom stall, plotting a way out of his predicament. He couldn't go back out there – he had a stalker and an angry man out there waiting to make his life hell. Then he saw the window and got an idea.

Standing on the toilet, he carefully pushed the window up, opening it. When he had it open all the way, he wondered how to get more than just his hands up to it. He placed one foot against the wall, then the other. At that moment, the restroom door opened, and the intruder took the stall next to the one James was in.

"Hoo-wee! Man, they've got some feisty young women in this town. But man, I haven't seen a pair of jugs that big in a long time! You know what I'm sayin'?"

"Loud and clear, sir," James said, giving his voice a slight accent to hide it.

"I mean, damn! The last woman I saw who looked that good, ended up dyin' giving birth to my child. It kind of makes me want to do it all over again. Doesn't it you?"

"That's disgusting!" James said, almost breaking his accent. Shaking the unnerving thought out of his head, he immediately placed his other foot onto the other stall barrier, slightly kicking it.

"…Boy, what the hell is wrong with you? There's no need to get upset over a good-looking woman now, is there?"

"No, sir!"

"Yeah, that's what I thought! So as I was sayin', it all began way back in high school, when I saw the most..."

James zoned out from the rest of the ramble. Slowly, he maneuvered his legs and arms, getting his head and torso through the window.

"Boy, are you even listening to me?" Mr. Hayden called, then looked up and saw his stallmate trying to climb out the window.

"_Are you insane, boy?! Get the heck down from there!_"

James turned to reply, "Screw you!"

Mr. Hayden was enraged. Unable to reach James from his stall, he quickly got out of his, but couldn't get into James's locked stall. He rammed into the door as James pulled his torso through the window. Unfortunately for him, Mr. Hayden managed to break in and grab hold of his ankles just as he got his abdomen through.

James pulled forward as hard as he could. Similarly, Mr. Hayden was pulling back with all his might. Eventually, James was able to make his escape, but not before sacrificing both shoes from his feet. He clambered out of the window and ran across partially-submerged pavement in nothing but stocking feet. Mr. Hayden didn't have it as good – the force of pulling backwards sent him flying into the wall with great force.

* * *

_**KA-POW!**_

Nearly everyone jumped as a bolt of lightning struck the roof antenna of the coffee shop, overwhelming the generator and causing the power to go out. The deafening thunder that followed was also reason to panic, but the moment soon passed.

Being a resourceful person, the barista called out her Raichu to see if it could help with repairs on the generator. Unfortunately, the system was fried, and there was little the orange mouse could do about it. At first, it tried shocking the system back to life, failing to do so. Then it tried chewing a cable and shocking the exposed copper wiring, but that didn't work so well, either.

May watched the entire thing as it happened. She stared at the Raichu for a few moments before letting out a long, sad sigh. Drew, seeing this, let out a sigh of his own, this one out of annoyance. May had gotten this kind of nostalgia before, and the lecture he was about to give, was one he had given her several times before.

"May, you know you can't stay jealous of Dawn forever. Eventually, you're just gonna have to accept the fact that she's got Ash wrapped around her finger – literally. You _do_ remember they got married a few months ago, right?"

"Well, yeah…But that doesn't mean anything!"

"The way I'm looking at it, the sooner you can just get over him, the better off you'll be. It's not like he's going to up and abandon his new wife one day and come running to you, and it's foolish to think that."

"You sure have a way to make a girl feel better about herself," May responded sarcastically.

"_Oh, I can't take this wait anymore!_" Jessibelle spoke for the first time since Mr. Hayden went into the men's room. "You two are talking about lost loves and whatnot, but seriously, I'm starting to get worried! Right now, I'd be stunned if James wasn't in there setting the world record for 'longest piss'."

She got up and started heading into the men's room.

"Hey, you can't go in there! That's the _men's_ restroom!" Drew called out to her.

"Screw you! I'll go wherever I want!"

Drew shook his head. "Today's not a good day for me or Dad."

"Tell me about it," May flatly responded.

"Alright, I'm sorry! It's just, you keep getting down on yourself everytime you think of him, and I don't want to be seeing you sad all the time."

Just then, Jessibelle came storming back into the area, where she made a very loud proclamation (not caring who heard it).

"_**HE'S GONE! THE DARK-GRASS HAIRED-MAN IS UNCONSCIOUS WITH A PAIR OF SHOES, AND THERE'S WATER POURING IN THROUGH THE OPEN WINDOW! AND MY LOVE IS GONE! HE'S GONE, DAMMIT!**_"

Nobody said anything. Then Drew motioned to May.

"Wanna get outta here?"

"Oh, yes!"


	6. Planter And The Planner

**Chapter 6: Planter And The Planner**

**

* * *

**

Huffing and puffing, James ran in through the front door of his apartment and slammed the door shut behind him, then sat down and exhaled deeply. He was soaked with freezing rainwater, and he had lost all sensation in his clammy feet, but he didn't care. He was just happy to have gotten out of that crazy café in one piece. In fact, he even considered himself lucky just to have gotten back home without Jessibelle or Mr. Hayden knowing where he'd gone to.

He felt famished then, but before he could start making anything to eat, he realized the power was still out. He sighed in defeat before deciding that perhaps a nap would be the best thing to do right now.

_'Maybe the power will come back on when I awaken…_'

* * *

Mark Hayden wandered the streets of Verdanturf, wondering what he should do next. Just minutes ago, he'd been awoken in the men's restroom of the nearby café, clutching onto a pair of shoes. The last thing he remembered before blacking out was pulling on the legs of a very insulting young man, who managed to escape. It didn't matter, though. He was one of the people forced out of the place because of the outage, and he had not been able to find his son or any of his friends.

As he passed the hotel, he heard someone complain, "All this rain is going to simply _ruin_ my lovely hair!"

Normally, he brushed off such comments, but then again, this wasn't a young lady's voice. It was a _man's_ voice. And he would not hear of a young man fussing over something like hair. What kind of man fussed over his hair, anyway?

He walked over to the only other person around, standing in the covered entryway of the hotel. The other man had long purple hair and wore a green outfit that looked like it was based on Cacturne. At the moment, he was still fussing over water damage to himself.

"For cripe's sake, boy! Man up and take the rain like a man!"

The purple-haired man looked up.

"Easy for you to say! You don't have to worry about looking good in this rain, but I on the other hand _must_ look my absolute best! Looks are half the battle in contests, you know!"

Mark raised an eyebrow. This very flamboyant person clearly had a passion for contests, so it was obvious that he was a coordinator. Perhaps he knew where Drew was?

"I don't suppose you've seen my son around, have you?"

"Depends. Could I get a brief description of his clothing?"

"…_His clothing?_"

"Yeah, most people don't realize this, but the type of clothing says a lot about a person."

"Oo-kay…Um, let's see…When last I saw him this afternoon, he was wearing blue jeans and a black sweatshirt under a purple button-up t-shirt."

"Wow…That's gotta be _the most_ hideous outfit I've ever heard of! _What kind of a parent are you?_"

"Look, have you seen my son or not?!"

"You mean Drew? Last I saw, he slipped into the hotel with Miss Tent and a woman with these really gorgeous locks of red hair. _Oh, what I'd give to have locks like those…_" the effeminate man trailed off, his eyes becoming hearts of adoration.

Mark sighed. Even if Drew was in this hotel, he would probably be lounging around somewhere with…Miss Tent? Who was that? Surely his son wasn't having an affair…But he couldn't be too sure.

"I'm sorry, but who is this 'Miss Tent' person?"

"You really don't know? I was almost certain everybody knew May Maple. She's living it up with fame that she shouldn't have had to begin with!"

At first, Mark was relieved that his son wasn't having an affair after all, but then he wondered about the other woman.

"What about the red-haired woman?"

"Eh, she's been staying in the hotel the past couple of days. I don't really know what her deal is, except that she's not a coordinator. I almost get the impression she's obsessed with something. Why? You wanna meet her or something?"

"Well, kinda…"

"Uh-uh-uh," the purple-head shook his head and waved a finger in the air. "There is no 'kinda'. Either you do wanna meet her, or you don't. What's it gonna be?"

Mark grumbled before speaking. "Yes. I do want to meet her, because she is one smoking woman!"

The other man raised an eyebrow.

"Seriously? If that's what she is, you might wanna find yourself another romance. Smoking's not good for anybody's health."

"Haha, I nearly forgot to laugh. You know damn well what I meant."

"Okay, okay! I don't really know her, but I'll introduce you anyway, mister…?"

"Mark."

"Okay, Mark. Let's head over, I can see her hanging out in the lobby. Not a bad idea since the power's out and the rain is pouring."

"That's a no-go."

"What?! I thought you just said you wanted to meet her!"

"I do, but she's engaged to the biggest loser around!"

"How big a loser?"

"I'm talkin' 'bout the kind that insults you to your face!"

For a moment, the eccentric coordinator appeared to enjoy a bit of mirth. He spoke before long.

"Oh, man! Have you come to the right person! I, Harley Davidson, am a master at breaking up dead-end relationships and making new ones that work! I might even be so bold as to say that before I have to roll out at the end of the week, you'll be holding her in your arms and leaving that sorry loser out in the cold!"

"How?"

"It's all part of my master plan, which I have code-named 'Lose the Zero, Get with a Hero!' You don't even really have to get involved! Just sit back and let me do my thing! In the first phase, I'll track down this loser and collect as much dirt on him as I can. In phase two, I share my findings with you and your lover-to-be, causing the both of you to feel incensed against this loser, who already was a loser to begin with. She breaks up with said loser, and if she's like most women coming out of a bad relationship, she'll jump on the first hot new ride she comes across, and that's where you come in. Long story short, you get the girl, I get the satisfaction of helping another lovesick romantic, and the loser gets nothing. It's guaranteed to work or your money back!"

"Alright, now you're talking! So, what's your rate?"

"For you, my friend, this one's on me. Really, who am I to put a price on another person's love?"

"Very well. Just be sure you get her away from that jerkass!"

"Can do! Now wait here!"

Harley zipped inside the hotel, where he whipped out a camera and flashed a photograph, then came out waving the Polaroid picture in the air.

"The woman! Whose name I do not know!"

"I believe it was Jessibelle or something like that. Here, I wanna see the picture…"

"Sorry, but this is for my confidential file."

"But it's the woman I'm interested in!"

"And I'm still not showing it!"

After a brief scuffle, Mark succeeded at snatching the photograph from Harley. His eyes widened at the photograph, then lowered into a frown.

"What the hell? _You photographed the back of her head!_"

"Well, yeah. I'm not just gonna go up to her, tap her shoulder and be all like, 'Hey, stranger! You don't know me, but I wanna take your picture cause there's this guy that's into you!' That'd make me sound like a stalker, and then the plan would fall through before it even begins! Besides, I think it's a great shot of those _heavenly red locks of hair…_"

"Would you shut up about the damn locks and get on with it?!"

"Yes, sir! Right away, sir!" Harley saluted, then ran off into the pouring rain, seeming to forget his earlier whining. Just as quickly as he disappeared, he came back.

"I just realized I don't know _anything_ about the loser!"

Mark simply smacked himself in the face.

"Perhaps you should have thought about _following her to_ _him_, and then starting your investigation?"

"Hey, no acting smarter than me!"

* * *

May sat on one of the hotel lobby's couches, lost in thought. She was looking over the pokéballs in her cupped hands. Even though she had started out thinking about strategies that might win her the championship, contests were now the furthest thing from her mind.

Instead, she was thinking of the people closest to her. There was Drew, who was presently snoozing and lying on the couch in such a way that he took up most of the seating space. However, her boyfriend wasn't of much concern at moment, compared to the other two people on her mind.

In all truthfulness, May couldn't help but worry over her friend James. She only meant to have a good time with him, and just as they get settled down, everything started spiraling out of control. She guessed it was ultimately too much for him to handle – why else would anybody dare escape from a restroom window on such a rainy day? Where could he have gone after getting out? May vowed that before week's end, she'd find him and try to make things right. It was the least she could do for him having such a bad day.

Then there was Ash Ketchum. The Raichu from the coffee shop earlier in the day was only the latest of many reminders of the young man she'd travelled with all those years ago. Despite not seeing him in a few years, she knew that deep down, she was still head-over-heels for him. Alas, his heart was not one she could ever have. That memory was a very bitter pill to swallow.

After a prolonged period defined by a lack of communication, May was very pleasantly surprised when, a few months ago, a parcel from Ash arrived. Her joy quickly turned to heartache and envy when she saw it was not just a casual letter, but a lavishly-designed wedding invitation.

**Ashton Redford Ketchum and Dawn Marla Berlitz**

**Request the honor of your presence at their nuptials**

**Sunday, July twenty-sixth, two thousand nine at three o'clock**

**Veilstone City Cathedral**

The accompanying letter did not do much to lighten the mood.

_Hey, May!_

_I know it's been a long while, and believe me, I've been waiting a long time to have the chance to get in touch with you. Going from pursuing the championship to training to be a ranger sure ate up a lot of time, but things are a bit more relaxed now._

_Don't know if you've heard from Brock lately. He married Lucy not that long ago, and he just recently started living his lifelong dream as a breeder. Last time I saw him, he never looked happier. I stayed for lunch, and I gotta say, he hasn't lost his touch one bit._

_Misty seems to be doing pretty good herself. I haven't seen her in a few months, but the last time I did see her, she was pretty busy with the Cerulean gym. She's been hanging out with Tracey a lot lately, and I guess things are getting pretty serious between the two of them. I have a feeling it's only a matter of time before they get hitched as well. Of course, she still doesn't take too kindly to a beat-down, but there's nothing wrong with a gym leader being proud of their reputation._

_Haven't seen Paul much since I defeated him at the championships a while back. I suppose he's improving on his skills as a trainer. Still has a bit of a rough edge, but maybe soon, he'll find someone to melt his heart. At least, that's what I hope._

_Gary finished his lengthy schooling in Pokémon studies, and has done a wonderful job with the lab in Pallet Town. I'm sure that Professor Oak (rest his soul) is smiling down on him from that wonderful place outside our world._

_I can't begin to tell you what a pleasure it's been to have Dawn around. She's been with me through thick and thin, and my hat's off to her for being patient with me when I couldn't be with her. We started going out after my championship title, and now, after getting certified as a ranger, I've decided she's something I don't ever wanna lose. I never saw her so happy as when I finally got the courage to propose to her._

_In remembering that you are one of my best friends, I am sending you an invite to the wedding. Dawn and I would love it if you, Max, and the folks at home in Hoenn could attend. Maybe then we could catch up on things. If I remember correctly, the last time we spoke was right around the time Max took over as gym leader in Petalburg. I trust everything in the invite is self-explanatory, but if you need any help with anything, don't be afraid to ask! Here's hoping to see you!_

_Best regards,_

_Ash_

May was swimming in emotions. Mostly, jealousy and resentment towards Dawn, and heartache and disappointment towards Ash. There was a small bit of happiness, too, and perhaps a bit of wisdom that nothing in life is certain. Those were just a few of the raw feelings she got from that piece of mail, and there were so many more when that day rolled around. Looking back on it, she wished she hadn't done or said the things she had.

_'If only there were some way to make it all right…'_

_

* * *

_

Harley sat, looking over the file he had started up. In it, he had three photographs and an audio recorder. The photographs were of Mark Hayden (captioned: 'The Client'), Jessibelle (captioned: 'The Client's Objective') and the third of himself (captioned: 'The Investigator (Me!)'). As time went on, he knew there'd be more (one would be of the lowlife he'd be looking in to, and as such, would caption the picture 'The Scumbag').

Presently, he picked up the audio recorder, turned it on, and pressed the record button. He figured this would be the best way to document his findings throughout the investigation.

_"This is Harley Davidson, Private Romantic Investigator, abbreviated PRI. Earlier today, I was approached by the client, who pitched his plea to me. It seems the client has taken a liking to a woman he described as 'smoking'. Personally, I do not condone such unhealthy lifestyles, but after the client demonstrated his power of coercion, I really had no choice. The problem here: the woman is already betrothed to someone, and this someone has bad blood with the client. The scumbag sounds like a horrible person to me! I must find out every single one of his filthy habits and bust him with his pants down (undergarments optional)! I intend to start by following the client's objective. She should lead me to the scumbag, and I can get started._

_'Kay, I'm turning in now. I got an early appointment at the beauty salon to get my hair permed. I can get started after that."_

_

* * *

_

**A/N: And there's chapter 6! I gotta do some stuff on my other WIPs now, it's been too long since I updated those!**


	7. Whirlwind

**Chapter 7: Whirlwind**

** A/N: I hope everyone had a good start to the holiday season! Anyway, I got the newest chapter finally typed up and ready to read!**

**

* * *

**

_"…Welcome back, everybody. This is Lucile Brown, HNN (Hoenn News Network). As we approach the eight o'clock hour, we begin with our top story this morning. We go now live to the weather deck, where chief meteorologist Mike Slater has the latest."_

_ "Thank you, Lucile. As many of you are already aware, yesterday's rainstorm was certainly the worst storm we've seen in recent decades. Several towns across the whole region were without power for a few hours and a fair number of rural routes were absolutely flooded. The most impressive thing about this is not so much the fact that it covered the entire region, but that similar weather has been along the southern coast of the Kanto and Johto regions, which have been experiencing tornadoes and flooding the last couple days._

_ Today's forecast is sunny, but be forewarned: there is a very good chance of high winds blowing throughout the day, so be sure to bundle up and drive safely along the roads. Our extended forecast shows this trend is likely to continue in the next few days, with severe thunderstorms very likely. Back to you, Lucile."_

_**CLICK!**_

Giovanni flicked off the television, a smirk coming onto his face.

"Hmm…nobody knows what it is yet. But I know there's only one reason for all the strange weather. This must be the work of the legendary Rayquaza. If it is there in Hoenn, then it should be relatively easy to find. And I know just who to put on this."

After patching through to his secretary and waiting a few minutes, Giovanni's anticipated guests arrived: the calculating Hun and his intimidating partner, Attila.

"You called, boss?"

"Yes, Hun, I did. It seems the mythical Rayquaza is causing havoc in the sky over the Hoenn region. With you two being my most successful hunters, I am putting you on this assignment. I recall your valiant efforts with your last major project."

"Nearly had that Raikou…" Attila began.

"But then those meddling kids and that caped maniac intervened, and we lost our ability to finish that job," Hun finished.

"And a blow that was to all of us. But as you will now realize, this is a chance to make up for that time. Given the time that has elapsed since then, I doubt you'll have any kids to mess you up this time."

"It shall be done, boss. We shall begin immediately."

"And so you shall."

* * *

"…Are you absolutely _certain_ there's nothing I can help you with, sir?"

"No, thank you. I'm just poking around to see if anything catches my eye."

"Alright. If you decide you do need help, just give me a holler!" James said, feeling thoroughly unconvinced, as he turned away from a purple-haired browser who he'd first noticed several minutes ago. The potential customer seemed to scrutinize every plant, even going so far as to look underneath the flowerpots and sniff the soil in which the plants grew.

Once James was reasonably occupied with his duties, Harley took out his audio recorder and began making his first report.

_"Harley Davidson, PRI, here with report number one. Following breakfast this morning, I began my investigation proper. As expected, the Client's Objective led me to the workplace of the Scumbag. On the outside, it would appear to be a simple flower shop, but he doesn't fool me! So far, nothing seems out of place – everything's clean, the plant soil smells rich and earthy. But I'm onto him. I know that underneath the thin surface, there's an absolute disaster just waiting to –"_

"Is something wrong, sir?" James asked, taking notice of his picky customer's unusual monologue.

"Ah! N-nothing's wrong, I'm just having some personal issues, that's all!" Harley nervously laughed, rubbing a hand behind his head.

"My condolences, but the storm'll pass soon. Just you wait and see!" James replied.

Once James was distracted again with another customer, Harley wiped the sweat off his forehead and resumed his report.

_"That was close. He mustn't find out about my work in this matter until smackdown time! Something major to report on: the Scumbag appears to have no interest in the Client's Objective, going so far as to drive her off, but at this time, I do not have enough evidence to conclusively support this. I KNOW there's dirty secrets in this shop, and I won't rest until I find them! I've just got to – (*Faint beeping*) – __**ACK! I'm ten minutes late for my cosmetology appointment!**__"_

Harley zoomed out of the shop as quickly as he could run. Not long after, a displeased Jessibelle walked into the shop.

"Alright, James! I bet you think you're funny, what with getting me out of here with the lure of a passing takoyaki salesman! The takoyaki was a lie!"

"But it was a delicious lie, because it gave me peace for a few minutes. Now if you'll excuse me, I must be going."

"_What?!_ Go where? It's not even close to your normal closing time! And what are you so happy about, huh?"

"I think I just passed my first quality inspection!" James gleefully shouted, before merrily skipping out the shop.

"…What the hell just happened?" a bewildered Jessibelle asked.

* * *

"…And there. Finally!"

"Looks wonderful, sweetie. Just one more to go…"

"I know. Who knew setting all the pictures up on the wall could be such a laborious task?"

As Dawn Ketchum set about removing the last photograph from its moving box, her husband of four months, Ash, took a moment to observe his handiwork. Despite being married four months, the couple still hadn't really gotten entirely moved in to their new house yet. At least the heavy-duty moves had been completed, and all that was left was to attend to the minor details. One of those was hanging up their photographs.

Dawn walked up to Ash with the lone photograph in her hands. Her foot caught on the ground, however, and she began falling forward. Ash was able to catch her before she hit the ground. The same could not be said for the framed picture, which hit the ground, breaking the frame and shattering the glass cover.

"Dawn! Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just tripped, that's all."

"Please be careful. If you were to fall, then –"

"Ash, I know you're concerned, but honestly, I don't think a whole lot can go wrong. I'm only a month pregnant, you know!"

"You're right. I just don't want anything bad to happen to you or to the child."

"That's sweet that you already care that much about your unborn child," Dawn said, before pausing to kiss her husband. "Just be patient, and you'll be a dad soon enough."

"Yeah."

"Well, I guess we'd better clean this mess up. I'll go get the broom and dustpan."

Dawn walked out of the room. Ash went about rescuing the photograph from the debris that had been its frame. The photograph was still in good shape, though that wasn't the part that bothered him.

This particular photo was taken a few years ago, and it was the most recent image of May Maple that he had. She'd sent it to him back before they lost touch with each other. When he turned to look at the photo he'd just finished hanging – the one of his and Dawn's wedding day – he felt the same sadness he felt that day.

Even now, he wondered why May wasn't at the wedding. He had so looked forward to her presence, more than any other guest (except of course his mother). It was an utter shock that she hadn't come, yet his own father had (and that was a whole other story).

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the phone ringing in the other room, which was answered by Dawn. A few moments later, she came into the room with the receiver in hand.

"For you."

Ash took the phone and nodded his thanks at Dawn before answering.

"This is Ash Ketchum. How may I help you?..."

* * *

**I think that'll be a good place to leave it for now. I know this was a long time coming, and I'll apologize to those of you who were dying for this chapter. I meant to post this earlier, but my week got off to a bad start (a cold that lasted till yesterday). Anyway, it's here, and I don't think the next one will take quite as long. Hope you enjoyed, and stay tuned!**


	8. StakeOut

**Chapter 8: Stake-Out**

* * *

"_I KNOW there's dirty secrets in this shop, and I won't rest until I find them! I've just got to – (*Faint beeping*) – __**ACK! I'm ten minutes late for my cosmetology appointment!**_"

(*Rewinding sound*)

"_(*Faint beeping*) – __**ACK! I'm ten minutes late for my cosmetology appointment!**_"

(*Rewinding sound*)

"_**Cosmetology appointment!**_"

"What. The flippin'. Hell."

"Yeah, that's what I thought at first as well, but lucky for me, Ardis wasn't terribly upset about my tardiness, and she did a _fantastic_ job on my –"

"I don't care what she did! And I don't want or need to hear about your little girly-boy problems!" Mark snapped. He began rubbing his eyes with the thumb and forefinger of his right hand. "Grown men going to cosmeticians, what is this world coming to?"

"So…I guess you don't wanna hear about my upcoming –"

"_No._"

"Okay, fine. You're the boss," Harley sighed, sounding a bit hurt.

"Fortunately for you, I'm serious enough about this woman that I'm willing to give you another shot. Since there clearly wasn't anything in his workplace, you might want to follow him to his house and whatever places he goes to during his off-duty hours. You've _got to_ get something on this lowlife!"

"Oh, I shall, I shall!"

"You do realize, though, that you might wanna play it low-key?"

"Meaning…?"

"Well, for starters, try dressing up like a normal person."

"How is this outfit _not_ like a normal person?"

"For cripes' sake! You look like the result of a drunken night between a Cacturne and a pansy! You're gonna draw a lot of attention (and criticism) to yourself if you go out like that, and no doubt _he_ will see you following him."

"You don't have to say it like that," Harley pouted.

"It's true, though! Just get rid of that eyesore! _Anything else_ will work perfectly."

"Well, I guess that my Wigglytuff pajamas might –"

"_Good Lord, what kind of a sick, demented wardrobe do you have?!_"

"The standard one for a lover of making a big impression in the appeals portion of contests!"

"_How ominous…_ Okay, well, at least get yourself a nice fedora, or overcoat, or something!"

"Fine. Any other words of wisdom?"

"Yeah, how about not making your reports right where he can hear you? If you have to be within earshot of him, at least make yourself look like you're acting normal."

"That can be arranged."

"Finally, please be quick about getting something on him. You only have five days left before you have to leave, and each day is one less to accomplish our goal."

"I shall not fail you again."

"We'll see. If you'll excuse me, I have some business in town to attend to, and now would be a good time for you to get started on the next part of your investigation."

Harley bit his lower lip and inhaled with emphasis.

"Now? As in, _right now_? Cause I've got an appointment with Miss Sue at the beauty salon, and she's quite strict on keeping appointments. If I'm late, she'll send me to the back of the line, and if I don't show up, she'll charge me a $20 cancellation fee!"

"Okay! Okay! I give up! If being flamboyant is _that_ important to you, then do your little thing first! But don't forget who you're working for!"

As the two parted, they both intoned insults under their breath.

"Jerk," Harley murmured.

"Pussy," Mark muttered.

* * *

"Littleroot Pokémon Lab. I haven't been here in a long time. Still looks as good as ever."

"Whatever. Remind me why we're here again?" Drew asked May, flicking a strand of hair out of his face as he brought the car to a complete stop, killed the engine and set the parking brake.

Without looking at her boyfriend, May continued to glance at the laboratory as she gave her reply. "The professor's back. I spoke with him just the other day, and he told me he was getting out of the hospital. I just wanted to pay him a visit and see how he's doing."

"Okay, but let's keep it brief," Drew said as he opened his door to get out.

The first thing the couple noticed after getting out of the car was the high wind. It wasn't overpowering, but it was far stronger than the tropical breezes that blew throughout a good portion of the region. That didn't stop the pair from making their way into the large building.

Inside, Professor Brendan Birch was poring over some charts when he heard the door open. He smiled when he saw the guests.

"May! Welcome back!" he greeted cheerfully as he embraced May.

"Yeah, it's good to see you again too, Brendan," May replied, returning the hug. The two then promptly broke it off.

"And Drew," Brendan then nodded towards his other visitor. His tone was considerably cooler.

"Brendan," the coordinator nonchalantly responded.

"Long time no see."

"Yes. Listen, I'm not real big on reunions, so I'm going to step outside for a moment, get some fresh air."

"Suit yourself."

Drew walked out of the lab. Clearly, the tension was very much present, and May was somewhat relieved it hadn't escalated beyond that. She faced Brendan.

"So how've you been? Since getting out of the hospital, I mean."

"I'm doing fine. Gotta take a couple painkillers every morning, and take it easy on the wild adventures for a while, but the doctor says I should be in good shape otherwise. You?"

"Likewise. The Grand Festival is coming up here in less than a week, so we've been busy getting in shape for that."

"'We'?"

"You know. Me and Drew."

"You're still going out with that piece of work?"

"He's not such a bad guy, Brendan. I mean, he's charming, definitely romantic, and he's also very…What's the word I wanna use?"

"Manipulative?"

"Well, he can be that way sometimes, but that's beside the point."

"May, I know you're your own woman, but even after these last few months, I'm still very surprised you'd go out with him."

"Yeah, I surprised even myself. I never thought I'd accept his request to go out."

"Surely there were other options?"

"Not really. I mean, of all the guys I've known well enough to consider dating, he was the only real option I had left. I hadn't heard from Ash in forever, and you…well…"

Brendan took a step towards May. "What about me? I was an option, wasn't I?"

May rolled her eyes. "Yeah, but you'd already had your chance with me, and you blew it big time."

"That doesn't mean you couldn't have forgiven me and taken me back," Brendan defended, taking another step toward May. May took a step back, right into a wall.

"I suppose, but then I'd feel really awkward about taking you back after what I said to you."

"I would have been willing to overlook that fact. And I still am."

"You are not seriously suggesting I end it with Drew just to come back to you, are you?"

Brendan took one last step towards May, placed both hands on the wall, and looked into her eyes.

"C'mon. Deep down, you know there's something about me that Drew's never had."

"Yeah. A mistress."

"Are you ever going to forgive me for that? I've apologized I don't know how many times."

"A simple sorry doesn't begin to make amends for something like that. We had something serious going on, which made your betrayal that much more painful for me."

"So let's make a fresh start! I was young and foolish then, but you'll see I'm different now!"

"I won't question that, but I'm not about to abandon Drew."

Brendan moved his hands from the wall to May's shoulders. May's eyes widened in fear.

"May, please take me back! I'm sorry for what I did back then, and I'm more than willing to do whatever it takes to make things right between us!"

"Brendan, you're starting to scare me," May squeaked.

To her surprise, Brendan released her.

"My apologies. It's just…well, I guess it's a bit much for you to take in all at once. But next time you're out and about with Drew, please spare my offer a thought."

"I'll consider it, but don't count on anything. It's nice to see you've recuperated so nicely," May spoke, abruptly changing the subject.

"Yeah, and that reminds me, I want to thank you again for the flowers. It's nice to know there are decent souls in this world."

"What flowers?" Drew asked upon returning. May was shocked to hear his voice, but Brendan maintained his composure.

"Oh, May didn't tell you? She got me a nice bouquet of carnations a little while back while I was mending up. For shame, May," Brendan explained, shaking his head at May in mock disappointment.

"Oh, she told me, alright. Matter of fact, she's gotten to be a bit friendly with the owner of that new flower shop in Verdanturf," Drew countered.

"Hey, can we talk about something else?" May asked, feeling uncomfortable with the direction the current topic was heading in.

"Well, even though I'm fresh out of the hospital, I already feel like heading out on a field study outing," Brendan began, much to the satisfaction of May.

"So soon? Why not take some time off? We all know your dad paid the price for his zeal," Drew commented.

Brendan glared at Drew. "My father was a damn good researcher, and he'd be proud of the work I've done!"

"What work? Your father was in this business for decades, whereas you have only a year under your belt, if even that!" Drew snorted.

"You're wrong, pal. I have been professor for only a year, but even before that I was invaluable to Dad's efforts! I didn't become a trainer just for the heck of it, you know! In fact, I'd even be so bold as to say that I know just as much about Pokémon as him, if not more!"

"Um, guys? Can we please not fight right now?" May pleaded, but neither man seemed to acknowledge her plea.

"Oh, really, you think you're better than him? How do I know that you aren't also going wind up being found dead in the middle of nowhere?"

"_You have no right to go there!_"

"Drew! Apologize!" May scolded, though Drew was red with anger and raring to continue trading verbal jabs with Brendan.

"Oh, does Daddy's passing still hurt? Sorry, but that doesn't mean you can just slip into a downward spiral and do whatever you please!"

Brendan was also steaming at the ears. "I was in mourning! I didn't know what the hell I was thinking or even what I should feel. But you, you have no business digging into my past!"

"I certainly do when you feel like you have to make everyone just as miserable as you! You've got balls to try to defend your fuck-up!"

"I may have gotten kicked in the balls a couple times during my assault, but at least _I still have balls, numbnuts!!!_"

"Is this really you talking shit to me, or is it the Novocain getting to your brain?"

Brendan said nothing at this last insult. He balled up a fist and put his whole weight into one punch that left Drew on the floor spitting blood.

"_Get out of my fuckin' lab_," he coldly snarled.

May was appalled by the scene before her. She knew that Drew and Brendan had a strong distaste for one another, but never before had an argument grown this violent. Before either one could say another word, May bent down to help Drew up. She turned to face Brendan.

"We'll be going now."

Brendan crossed his arms and turned to face away from them.

"You sure know how to pick 'em, May."

Neither May nor Drew said anything in response as they took their leave of the laboratory and returned to Drew's car. There, the two sat in relative silence. Drew kept a tight grip on the steering wheel with both hands.

"I can't believe you once called that little ass your boyfriend."

"Be quiet, Drew. I can't believe either of you."

"The hell if he thinks he's the bigger man –"

"Right now, neither of you are the bigger man, because both of you were absolutely despicable in there! It wouldn't kill you to be civil with him at least once."

"And I don't suppose it would kill _him_ to be civil with me at least once, either."

"Shut up. Just shut up. I'm furious with both of you, and right now I'm trying to make up my mind who to be mad at first!"

* * *

Ash took his wife's suitcase and placed it in the trunk of their car and after making sure it was in there securely along with his own, closed the door.

"You don't have to come with me on this, Dawn. Chances are it'll only be for a few days."

"But I _want_ to come along. I waited long enough while you were in ranger school, and you know I'm not going to pass up any time I get with you. Besides, I'm pretty sure this is going to be your first assignment outside of the Kanto region. What's so important in Hoenn that you have to go?"

"Well, Rodney – my boss – told me over the phone that normally rangers in one region don't usually get involved in situations in another place. However, I guess the weather down there's been pretty intense lately, and it's caused enough damage that the rangers there are spread out rather thinly. Because of that, the Hoenn region chief ranger has requested assistance from neighboring ranger units, and my unit was one that responded."

Dawn nodded and climbed into the front passenger side of the car. Ash climbed in opposite her and started up the engine.

"What's with the weather down there, anyway? I thought the Hoenn region was famous for its tropical climate," Dawn pondered.

"Oh, it is. However, I'm not going to guess what is up with the weather. Normally, storms in the region are short-lived, yet they've been having thunderstorms and tornadoes for nearly a week now. Either something's up with the way nature works, or there's something going on in the atmosphere over the region," Ash stated.

The two were relatively silent during the drive to the Pewter City Airport. A short time later, they'd purchased their tickets and checked their baggage. They sat in the waiting area while their flight was in preparation. Dawn struck up another conversation.

"So, the Hoenn region. We haven't been there in years."

"Yeah. Kinda funny to think we've both been so busy that we haven't even gotten a chance to go down there."

"Do you think there might be any breaks in your duties?"

"I dunno. I hope so. I mean, I am curious what the region is like now. The last time I heard something from Hoenn, they found Professor Birch's body not far from the entrance to a large cavern."

"I remember that, but I forget what exactly happened to him."

"Well, as I seem to recall it, the professor had been missing for about a week and a half before they found him. Apparently, he was out on a field study and was doing something in that cave when he suffered a heart attack."

"A heart attack? Him?"

"I thought it was unbelievable, too. He always seemed like he was ready for anything life threw at him, and he was a very active man. But, that's the thing, you never know when it's over."

"That's too bad."

"Yeah. I guess Brendan stepped in after that, and as far as I know, he's still the leading authority on Pokémon research down there."

"The Maples live in Petalburg still, don't they?"

"Yeah…" Ash responded, trailing off.

"What's the matter?" Dawn asked.

"Oh, sorry. I'm just thinking back to our wedding. I still can't believe May didn't make it – everybody else was there! And the funny thing is, even they didn't know what was going on with her."

"Maybe we can find out if we get the chance, huh?"

"Maybe, though I wouldn't count on it. I haven't heard anything from May in a few years, and neither Max nor Norman or Caroline really said anything about her. Who knows where she is or what she's up to right now?"

"Well, I have a feeling we'll be meeting up with her again before long."

"Yeah, I'd like that to be the case."

"_Your attention, please: Kanto Airlines Flight 189 to Verdanturf International Airport is now boarding. All passengers, please secure your personal belongings,_" an intercom announcement declared.

"That's us, angel," Ash said as he secured his backpack.

"Let's hope the ride's a smooth one," Dawn commented as she got up to follow.

* * *

1:58 am. Precisely seven minutes since last check, when the glowing red numbers displayed a time of 1:51 am. Those last seven minutes were as restless as every other moment since midnight. James sat up in his bed. He couldn't fall asleep, no matter how hard he tried to get comfortable. Just as well, now would be as good a time as any to get a late-night snack.

Heading to the kitchen, he looked around at all his windows and doors. All were securely locked. James was not afraid of burglars, having been one in a lifetime past. There was somebody, though, who scared him more than a masked crook carrying a loaded handgun. This particular person had spent the entire pm portion of yesterday pursuing him around town, and though he'd initially closed shop early on account of extreme joy, his bliss was short-lived.

It was roughly one in the afternoon when James left his shop (returning a short while later after remembering to lock it up), and for a while, he was on cloud nine. Of course, no sooner had he finished his professional duties for the day than Jessibelle showed up. Never before had James done so much running and hiding. That woman had thighs of steel to keep up the chase for so long, and even after James decided to seek safe haven in his apartment, she remained vigilant with the chase. James caught her trying to crack open windows, pick the door lock, even climb up on the roof to try to sneak in through the chimney. She didn't give up until just before midnight, and James supposed that was only because she needed her sleep. He needed his, too, but to consider sleep with a madwoman trying to gain entry was sheer insanity.

Nearly two hours later, James was still restless. The adrenaline was still coursing through his veins, and he had not had anything to eat since late morning. Not surprisingly, he was rather famished. Perhaps a snack would calm his nerves enough to let him sleep.

James couldn't see much in the dark kitchen, so he flicked the lights on. After taking a moment for his eyes to adjust, he went over to the fridge and pondered what to munch on. Unbeknownst to him, a cloaked figure wearing a dark green hat was standing outside his window, looking in while slowly pulling out a certain device from one of his pockets.

"_Report number two, being filed by PRI Harley Davidson. After briefing the Client on the findings of my previous report, it was agreed the Scumbag did not have anything at his workplace. Once again pursuing the Client's Objective as a lead, I was brought to a small apartment complex. The Client's Objective spent the entire evening trying to gain entry to one particular apartment building before giving up and leaving the premises. I was about to follow her when I realized this must be where the Scumbag lives. My diligence (and a few Red Bulls (they give me __**wiiiings!**__)) has paid off – the Scumbag is doing something in what appears to be a kitchen area._"

'Hm, I think a little meat and cheese sandwich with some berry juice ought to do the trick,' James thought, then reached for the bread bag on the top rack.

"_He's doing something in his refrigerator. Wait…wait…__**My goodness, I believe he's picking his nose! I can see him**__ – oh, never mind, he's just getting a loaf of bread out of the fridge. Now he's putting it on the counter and going back to the fridge. Now he's…getting out some salami and cheese? What the heck is he up to? Wait, I think he's…__**Oh child, he's making a sandwich!**_"

'And now for the drink…' James opened a cupboard and pulled out a plate and a drinking glass. He assembled the bread, salami, and cheese, and went back to the fridge for the juice as well as some mustard and mayo.

"_Back in the fridge once more, this time to get…__**Human blood?! Oh my God, is this guy really a murd**__ – sorry, my mistake, I can see the label on the bottle now. It's just berry juice…But what's this?! He's also got what looks like a mustard jar and a thing of mayonnaise._"

Taking a knife out of the drawer, James proceeded to have at the mayonnaise, spreading it over one slice of bread.

"_Oh, it seems he likes his sandwiches topped off with condiments. I like the way he's using that knife to spread the mayonnaise evenly over that whole-grain wheat bread slice. This is a perfect tantric moment, uninterrupted and – No way! He did __**not**__ just stick that knife into the mustard jar without rinsing it off first!! Oh-ho, that's pay dirt right there!_"

Once the sandwich was assembled and the juice glass was full, James put the unused ingredients back in the fridge. Sitting down at the table, he dived right in to his meal. Without mercy, he tore at the sandwich, savoring every bite in his mouth, and relished every drop of fruity juice that trickled down his throat.

"_Oh, oh, oh! Several minutes of a good thing, coming to an undignified ending! The poor bread didn't stand a chance! The salami – __**oh, the salami, torn to pieces between pearly-white blades!!**__ And the cheese…__**The cheese!!**__ All of it drenched in its own berry-flavored blood, __**OH THE HUMANITY OF IT ALL!!! WAUGH!!!**_"

James stopped munching. He could've sworn he heard dramatic yelling outside his kitchen window – where a cloaked figure wearing a dark green hat suddenly stopped his shrieking. The two made eye contact for the most fleeting moment. Then came what was natural to either one.

"_**AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!**_"

"_**AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!**_"

* * *

**Ah, a nice long chapter full of suspense and laughs – just like it should be. So the plot thickens even more with our beloved characters, but hold on tight! This roller coaster is just getting started!**


	9. Bad Day For Business

**Chapter 9: Bad Day For Business**

**

* * *

**

Once again, May found herself in a good news-bad news type of situation. The good news was that her anger at Drew from yesterday was gone, and to make up for it, he was taking her to a nice sit-down restaurant for lunch. The bad news: they had to add a third wheel to the luncheon – Drew's dad. Despite efforts to talk the middle-aged man out of joining them, Mark wouldn't take 'no' for an answer, and the young couple eventually gave in.

The restaurant was not terribly large, but it was big enough that if one were to have a party, they could easily have it here. Today, there were a few other people in the restaurant, and things were picking up as the lunch hour rolled in. So far, the three had their drinks – water for May and Drew, and a draft beer for Mark. They were finishing up with their menus when the waitress came to take their orders.

"I'll have the penne pasta with alfredo sauce, please," May requested, handing her menu towards the waitress.

"Of course," the waitress responded.

"I'll take the chef's salad with light ranch dressing, please," Drew added, also giving his menu to the waitress as she finished jotting down his order.

"Excellent."

"Know what, sweetcheeks, why don't you give me one of your t-bone steaks, cooked medium-rare, and a side of buttermilk mashed potatoes," Mark ordered.

"Certainly, sir," the waitress said as she finished writing down the orders, took the menus, and disappeared to the back. The whole time, Mark kept his gaze on her.

"Damn, that bitch had some nice tits," he mumbled.

"Dad! Not while May's here!" Drew hissed.

Mark smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, I just thought she had a nice body, with a tight little ass."

Drew dropped his head onto the table. This was exactly why he hated taking his father on dates that should've been between May and himself. Why May hadn't dumped him yet, he was still trying to figure that out, but counted himself lucky she hadn't.

Fortunately, May usually turned a blind eye to the antics of Mr. Hayden. She looked at his behavior as simply a sign of wanting to have intimacy after being single so long, as well as coping with the onset of the aging process. Maybe he was a bit frisky, but thankfully, Drew was not too much like his father. Either the apple fell far enough from the tree to be different, or a little bit of charm went a long way. She didn't care, though.

A few heads turned when a woman entered the restaurant's dining area, half-carrying a man on one shoulder. It was highly unlikely the man was drunk, because who in their right mind got wasted at 11:30 in the morning? Besides, as the pair approached, it was clear the man could barely keep his shadowy eyes open.

May saw this and nearly gasped upon recognizing the pair. Jessibelle and James! Something about this didn't look good, but she couldn't just get up and abandon her date. Maybe she could sneak over when Drew and his dad weren't around?

* * *

Jessibelle seated James into a chair with some effort, where he promptly slumped over.

"James, do try to keep your head up! You're making a scene, you know!" she scolded.

"Yessum," James replied, slowly sitting up. Obviously, his mind was not fully functioning, having gotten no sleep the night before.

"I think it'd be best if we started you off with a cup of strong coffee."

"Yessum."

"Darn it, can't you say anything besides that?! You've been saying that dang word ever since I stole you from that little shop of yours!"

"Yessum."

"_Arrgh,_" Jessibelle groaned. '_Definitely getting the strongest coffee available._'

As the waitress passed by their table carrying a tray laden with three drinks, Jessibelle called her to the side.

"Excuse me, miss, but do you mind getting us a couple cups of your strongest coffee? Possibly in the next few minutes?"

"Certainly," the waitress acknowledged before resuming her previous task of delivering the drinks to the people sitting a few tables away.

At said table, Mark followed the waitress's path, noticing both Jessibelle and James in the process. Immediately, he felt both a surge of excitement and a bit ill at ease.

"Pardon me, but I suddenly have the craps," he said as he got up and began heading towards the men's restroom.

"_Too much info, Dad!_" Drew exclaimed, covering his eyes with both hands.

The two Hayden men weren't the only ones having a less-than-pleasant day. An unfortunate waitress was about to enter the kitchen area when the back exit door suddenly opened and an arm reached out, grabbed her own arm, and yanked her outside. It all happened so quickly, nobody saw or heard it happen.

* * *

"Drew, sweetie? Do you think I can borrow $30 from you?" May asked.

"I don't know. Can you?"

_ "…I'm not playing that game again, Drew Hayden!"_

"Hehe, _suuure_. Well, I suppose I can _lend_ you the thirty, on one condition."

"What?"

"I'm curious, what are you planning to blow my hard-earned cash on?"

"_Har-dee-har-har_. Well, I'll have you know it's going towards a good cause."

"Oh, really?" Drew inquired as he pulled out his wallet and extracted the money.

"Yeah. I'm gonna see if the flower shop carries any yellow tulips."

"…The flower shop."

"That's right."

"_The flower shop_."

"Yes!"

"May, is there something going on between you and that florist that I'm not aware of?"

"What?! No, of course not! It's just a friendly acquaintance! Besides, I'm not going just to see him."

"Oh? What _is_ it, then?"

"If it's all the same to you, I'd rather not divulge that."

"Why not? May, I'm your boyfriend. If there's something wrong, tell me and I'll put things right!"

"That's kind of you, but I can handle this one myself."

"May. I want to know what's really going on here."

"There's nothing wrong."

Drew smacked a palm onto the table. "Darn it, May! What is going on?! You're hiding something from me, and I know you're not telling me the whole truth!" After a brief pause, Drew spoke again. "Something happened at Professor Bitch's lab, am I right?"

"First of all, it's _Birch_, and you know it. And if you absolutely _must_ know, we just had a little misunderstanding."

"He asked you to take him back again, didn't he?"

"…"

"Great. I'm gone for not even five minutes, and he has the nerve to hit up my girlfriend. That cocky son of a bi –"

"That's enough, Drew! Really, you shouldn't even be worried. You know I have no intentions of taking him back."

"You getting flowers tells me otherwise."

"You're being ridiculous right now, you know that?"

"You're not exactly making sense either, babe."

"See? I knew you'd react this way! This is why I didn't want to tell you in the first place!"

Drew took his gaze from May's frowning eyes to the bills he still held in one hand.

"Know what? I might not make the best use of my money, but I'm not blowing it on bullcrap like flowers for a waste of life."

May, however, managed to get a grip on the bills.

"You already said I could have it," she said as she gave the bills a tug.

"No, I don't think so," Drew retorted, pulling back on his own end of the bills.

"_Drew. Let. Go._"

"_Not. A. Chance._"

The tug-o-war soon intensified to the point where the bills ripped. The arguing couple looked in shock. Drew then tossed down his half of the ruined currency.

"Fine. If it means that much to you, take it."

"I don't need gifts that you give in spite," May said coolly, also throwing down her ripped halves.

"Fine."

"Fine."

The two sat in tense silence until Mark returned. Within seconds, he knew something less than pleasant transpired.

"Had a bit of a row, eh?"

"…"

"…"

"I understand. It happens in all good relationships. Luckily, I know just the thing to end this sour mood. Anybody wanna hear a joke?"

"No," the couple answered quickly.

"Oh, c'mon! You don't even know how it goes! Okay, well, there's this young blonde college girl at a fraternity party, right? And she's having a great time hanging out with all the guys, and –"

"Dad, all your so-called 'jokes' end with the blonde waking up the next morning in freezing temperatures, finding out that she's been stripped naked and tied to a lamppost."

"You didn't have to ruin the ending before I got to it…"

* * *

A new "waitress" made her way through the dining area carrying an empty tray on one hand, interrupted when Jessibelle flagged her to the side.

"I don't wanna sound rude, but I asked another waitress for two cups of very strong coffee several minutes ago, and I'm not sure if she's busy or what, but could you get them for me instead?"

"Sure thing, hun," the 'waitress' said in what sounded like a feminine voice with an unnatural quality, then moved away a short distance. From one of the pockets on the apron, 'she' pulled out an audio recorder.

_"This is PRI Harley Davidson, here with the third report in this series. Following last night's fortune-from-disaster caper, I have once again followed the Client's Objective to the Scumbag's place of residence. It seems he did not get a good night's sleep (which is what he deserves, anyway), as the Client's Objective seemed to practically carry him to this restaurant in town. At the moment, she seems to be trying to keep him awake (without much success, from what I can see). I think the drowsiness is simply a ruse to enable him to try something incriminating. Disguising myself as a waitress, I'm in position to keep a very close eye on him while playing the role that –"_

"Hey, waitress! Come over here! I wanna talk to you!"

"_I'll continue this report later. Duty calls!"_

The disguised waitress walked over to the table, nearly uttering a gasp upon recognizing the agitated diner.

"I don't know what's taking your coworker so long to get our meals. We've been waiting for almost 45 minutes, and we still haven't gotten our food!" Drew complained.

"There's no need to get worked up! I, Hailey, will make sure that you don't walk out of here famished!"

"You sure your name's Hailey?"

"_Why would you ask?_"

"Well, the name on your name tag is 'Angelica'. Interestingly enough, that was our previous server's name."

"Yeah, well, it's just a coincidence. Besides, I'm having a rough time with my soon-to-be ex-boyfriend, and I plan to get my name legally changed to Hailey soon enough."

"But why go by 'Hailey' if you haven't legally changed it from 'Angelica' yet?"

"_Shut up and wait for your food, Drewsky!_" the harried waitress cried before dashing off to the kitchen area.

Drew raised an eyebrow. "How did she know my name?"

Mark was fidgeting in his seat. Under the table, he twiddled his thumbs. Finally, he decided he could not just sit there any longer, and rose up from his chair.

"If the two of you will excuse me again, I have some business with that waitress."

After he left, Drew shook his head. "One of these days, I swear he's gonna resort to bringing home a prostitute."

"Somehow, I doubt that," May responded. "I know he's a bit chauvinistic, but that seems to be low, even for him."

* * *

Harley made his way into the kitchen. He eyed the coffees and the lunch platters that his irked customers wanted, but before he could take them, the manager walked up to him.

"Angelica, there you are! These have been sitting here for far longer than they should have, and…Why are you wearing that ridiculous wig, anyway?"

"This isn't a wig. It's my natural hair color!"

"Wait, you mean to tell me I only imagined you having short blonde hair?"

"Whatever you wanna think, hun."

"'Hun'? You've never called me that before! What's with you today? You're slow with service, and your voice doesn't sound like it normally does…You didn't take up smoking, did you?"

"No, sir! I think it's a filthy habit!"

"Then what's going on? Why are you so out of it today?"

"I'm not out of it. I'm just having serious issues with my soon-to-be ex-boyfriend."

"But I thought you were engaged to your _girlfriend_…?"

"_Stop prying into my personal life! I just wanna get these out to our paying customers, and you're hindering my job performance!_"

"You're right. I'm so sorry. But do be more careful next time!"

"Will do, boss."

Just then, Mark entered the kitchen, ignorant of the 'Employees Only' sign. He quickly found Harley, who was loading a tray with the food and drink he needed to get out.

"Just what do you think you are doing here?"

"Not now! I'm busy working!"

"Your first priority is to me!"

The manager walked over to the two. He faced Mark, a look of sternness on his face.

"I'm sorry, sir, but this is an Employees-Only area, so I'm gonna have to ask you to leave at once."

"I know, but I'm talking to my cohort Harley here, so why don't you just get back to work, huh?"

The manager gave the masquerading waitress a blank stare, then a frown.

"If you're not Angelica, then what the hell have you done to my waitress?!"

"She's fine. I hid her in the bushes outside."

"_Outside…Oh, Arceus!_"

The scene got pretty lively in the kitchen following that moment. Mark and Harley had to sneak out the back door before any airborne food particles could hit them.

* * *

Not long after the kitchen fiasco died down to normal, a waiter finally got around to the lunch platters and coffees, fully aware of the verbal barrage that awaited him. Nonetheless, he decided it was better they be mad at him while eating and drinking than for them to storm out and never return.

As May and Drew began eating their lunches (and wondering where Mark was that he hadn't come back yet), things seemed quiet, but something was amiss. Neither could quite put their finger on it, though.

A few tables over, two cups of lukewarm coffee didn't seem to do much for James. He was a bit more alert after getting some caffeine into his system, though he was still too lethargic to even carry on a proper conversation with Jessibelle (much to the latter's irritation). After a moment, Jessibelle ordered a couple bowls of soup for the two of them, hoping to both satisfy her own hunger and give James an extra boost. The waiter assured them that there would be no wait this time ("otherwise, it's on me!").

During his meal, Drew looked out one of the restaurant's many windows, only to do a double take when he saw what looked like his father conversing with what looked like one of his other coordinating rivals, Harley. What could those two be talking about? Surely not small talk – Drew knew his father didn't have too much tolerance for someone as flamboyant as Harley. This was just too strange for Drew to turn a blind eye to, and without even finishing the last bites of his chef's salad, he set his napkin on the table and got up from his seat.

"Where are you going?" May asked.

"Something's not right outside (and I'm not talking about those approaching stormclouds on the horizon), so I'm just gonna go have a quick look. I'll be back shortly," he responded as he turned to head out.

May noticed she was now alone, at least for the time being. As she took a look around, she saw some people who'd been here since they'd arrived, as well as some new faces. Most of these fellow diners were of no concern to May, who now kept a constant gaze on one particular table. She'd been itching to speak with James since he'd come, but did not have the opportunity to do so. If it wasn't for Jessibelle being seated across from him, May would very well have her chance.

Just then, luck came to May. Jessibelle rose from her seat and headed towards the lady's room. She looked to be in a bit of a mess, so May guessed she wouldn't come out anytime soon. Even though Jessibelle and/or Drew could come back at any given moment, May decided she had been given a chance she'd been waiting patiently for, and now was the time to act. She got out of her own seat and headed over to the table where James sat, resting his head in one hand with his elbow on the table.

"James? You look terrible," May cooed.

James had been staring blankly at his empty coffee cups until he heard someone speak to him. Despite being half-asleep, he knew the voice was not Jessibelle's, and that brought him a small bit of relief. He looked up, feeling suddenly more alert when he saw it was May who was now sitting across from him.

"Hey," was all he could manage to say.

"What happened to you? Did you not get enough sleep last night?" May asked, her face full of concern.

"No. I have one person chasing me everywhere I go, and I think I've got a second person stalking me as well. Gave me the fright of a lifetime late last night."

"Why would anybody wanna stalk you?"

"One obsesses over some stupid arranged marriage, and I don't know about the other. Maybe a competitor. Maybe cause of my past."

"Your past?"

"Yes."

May was curious what this kind soul could have done to get on somebody's bad side. Of course, James didn't look like he wanted to do much talking of any kind, especially about his alleged past. Thus, May decided not to press the matter further. However, she did have one last topic to broach with whatever time she had left to be with him.

"So…any chance you're gonna be open for business this afternoon?"

"I don't know. I don't think I will, though. I could hardly stay awake even with people browsing around my store, and then that crazed redhead kidnapped me and brought me here. I don't even wanna eat the soup she ordered us. All I wanna do is just head home and make up on some sleep. But why would you ask?"

"Oh, just a little favor. I wanna get a bouquet of yellow tulips for a friend of mine."

"Well, I suppose I can run back to my shop real quick and get those for you. It's no trouble, really."

"Really? Thank you!"

"Yes, but I think we'd better go now. Otherwise, I'm gonna fall asleep right here, or Jessibelle might come back and chew you out, and I don't wanna see that."

James was able to get out of his seat by himself (wobbling, though) and he walked to the side exit, holding the door open for May, who thanked him for his chivalrous act. The two then made their way to the sidewalk and took their leave of the premises.

* * *

"Alright, Harley. Your erratic behavior aside, what are you doing here?"

"Collecting dirt, boss, just like you wanted me to!"

"Yeah, but did you have to be so close to me and that foxy-ass lady?"

"It couldn't be helped. I didn't even know you were going to be here."

"That makes two of us. Anyway, let's see what you've got."

"Well, first off, I was able to get a few more photos for the case file," Harley said as he produced two photographs. One was of Drew (captioned: 'The Client's Handsome Son') and the other of May (captioned: 'Miss Tent').

"Point one, neither of these two are really involved in the case, so why you'd include them in the file is beyond me. Point two, you better not have the hots for my son!"

"What? It's true! Drew is a handsome young man, and any lady would be lucky to call him her man (except Miss Tent, she doesn't deserve him!)"

Mark rolled his eyes. He knew his son had a cult following, but the thought of fan_boys_ made his stomach do a loop. Nevertheless, he maintained his composure.

"Oo-kay…What else have you got?"

"I also got these documented recordings," Harley replied, pulling out his recorder. "I should tell you that I haven't quite finished the last one, so –"

"I don't care. Just give me what you've got."

"Right."

Harley searched for the start of his third recording from the night before, and upon finding it, pressed the play button. As Harley's voice narrated the previous night's caper, Mark's face was constantly full of hope, only to be crushed seconds later. Halfway through, though, all he did was constantly smack himself in the face and shake his head. By the end of the playing, he looked rather displeased.

"What the hell was all that about? For cripe's sake, he was just making himself a midnight snack!"

"I know, but I figured I had to do something to make it incriminating. I thought if I put some drama into these reports, it would make even his little habits seem like big screw-ups."

"Okay, well, first off, just because you get all emotional when recording these doesn't mean you've got dirt on him. I need _real_ dirt, not some crap you pulled out of your ass. On that note, you didn't get 'pay dirt' for him not rinsing his knife between condiments. Lots of guys do that all the time. I do that all the time!"

Harley stared at Mark like he was a venomous Seviper poised to strike.

"_You do __**that**__ all the time?_" Harley squeaked.

"Yes. Read my lips. All. The. Time."

Harley felt himself go pale. "I think I need a paper bag," he said quietly.

Once more, Mark facepalmed himself. He rubbed his eyes in irritation.

"What about that other report, the one you didn't get around to finishing?"

Without saying a word or even looking at his superior, Harley pressed the play button again, and his brief recording sounded. When it had finished, Mark simply shook his head.

"Well, now. It would seem you still have not gotten any dirt on this guy. I'm beginning to wonder if I even need you anymore?"

Harley suddenly snapped out of his emo state. "What?! Oh, no! You can't take on a new investigator! What're they offering you? I'll double it! No, I'll _triple_ it!!"

At first, Mark considered continuing his rant, but then he stopped to think, and a grin spread over his face. He couldn't refuse a sucker when it meant money in his pocket.

"They offered me $10,000 plus their most experienced agent."

Harley seemed to pale again at the figure, but decided he didn't want to be bought out.

"Do we have ourselves an agreement?" Mark asked, extending a hand.

Harley reluctantly took his hand and shook it. "Deal."

"Dad? What's going on out here?"

"Oh, Drew! Uh…"

"Hiya, Drewsky! What're you up to today?" Harley asked, greeting the newcomer and suddenly feeling joyous again.

Drew looked at his father, then at Harley, then at his father again.

"So I saw you two through the window. What were you talking about?"

"Oh, um…I was just, uh…" Mark started, trying to find something plausible to use.

"He was giving me tips on how to beat you and Miss Tent in the Grand Festival!" Harley finished.

"Yeah, that's it! I was giving him tips on how to win!" Mark exclaimed, following Harley's example.

"Oh, really?" Drew asked, completely unconvinced.

"Uh, yeah, um… Just, uh, just telling him about some techniques that I've seen you use."

"I think I'm now good enough to be you at your own game, Drew! What do you think about that?" Harley laughed.

Drew rolled his eyes. Not only was his father a pathetic liar, he also didn't seem to realize what he was saying.

"So, Dad, you rooting for Harley to win the Grand Festival?"

"What? No! No! Of course not, son! What on Earth would make you think that I'd root for somebody other than my own son?" Mark chuckled nervously.

"Maybe because you're teaching _Harley_ how to _win_ contests using _my_ techniques. I'm pretty sure that's what we call betrayal."

"But Drew! I didn't mean to betray you! I was simply revving this guy up for the contest, to give everyone a most spectacular show!"

"Give it up, Dad. I know you weren't talking about coordinating techniques and whatnot."

"…" Mark looked petrified.

Drew suddenly chuckled. "C'mon, Dad! We all do stupid stuff at one time or another. Besides, even if you were telling Harley all my awesome secrets, I'd still trounce him in the spotlight!"

The two partners stared at Drew with blank stares. What the heck was going on?

"Well, I'm going back inside now. May's gotta be close to finished with her stuff, and we still have to pay the bill and all," Drew stated, turning to go back through the main entrance.

Inside, Drew saw that May wasn't at the table. At first thinking she was in the bathroom, a few minutes of waiting proved otherwise. However, he did see a lady with long red hair come out of the bathroom (seemingly, in a rush) and dash to a table, where she saw an empty seat that should have been occupied.

"_**JAMES!**_" she roared. Half-panicked and half-infuriated, she stood her ground and pondered her next move. Meanwhile, the waiter came by, saw her standing alone beside a table laden with two bowls of soup, and assumed she was finished. Instinctively, he began the end-of-service exchange.

"Are you ready for the bill now, ma'am?"

In the waiter's experience, he'd never gotten beaten for asking that question. Grunts, blank stares, whimpers, and various responses, he was used to. But not anything physical. Before he knew it, he felt her fist smack into his nose and his last conscious memory was of flying through the air, crashing down on a nearby table. Ironic that he should be assaulted not long after his coworker had been abducted.

Clearly, today was not a good day for professional matters, however good the intent.

* * *

**Whoo! Done in time for Christmas and New Year's! I hope you enjoyed, and have a Happy Holiday Season!**


	10. Shape of Things to Come

**Chapter 10: Shape Of Things To Come**

** I'M BAAACCK! Not much for me to say, other than it's great to be back once again, and now that I've got a new lappy to work with, I'm hoping there won't be too many more hiatuses like the one I've had.**

** Also, I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has reviewed this, and other stories, and I want to say I'm so sorry you had to wait this long for an update!**

* * *

"Yes, sir. We've found no trace of Cassidy or of Britches, either." (A muffled sound – faintly similar to that of a human voice – seemed to echo the sentiment of, "The name is BUTCH!")

Giovanni was leaning over a map of the Hoenn Region, his head hung over in frustration. He let out a short sigh before looking back up at the grunt.

"Very well. Continue to keep a vigilant eye on things, and if those two manage to show up, tell them I want to speak with them immediately."

"Yes, sir," the grunt replied, turning to exit. On his way out, he passed by a scientist, who was now making his way to the center of the room.

"Good afternoon, sir."

Without looking back up from the map, the Rocket boss groaned.

"This had better be good."

"The team and I are tracking a tropical storm originating just south of Pacifidlog Town in the Hoenn Region. It's slowly making its way towards the southwest coast, gaining strength as it goes. We think it'll be a class-three, maybe class-four hurricane before it makes landfall."

"If you are here simply to tell me the foul weather is unusual down there, you are wasting both our time. I am already aware of Hoenn's recent stormy atmosphere, as well as the cause of it."

"There's more, though, boss. We've determined that this is because the legendary sky dragon has become ill. It has taken to the lower atmosphere, descending to an elevation just above the clouds, and has been thrashing about there for a short time now. As far as we know, the creature's sickness has been getting worse, and as its thrashing increases, Hoenn's weather becomes proportionally worse."

Giovanni was now interested in the topic at hand. "Ill, you say? That just might make things a little easier for us."

"Yes. Now, if the plans are to achieve any success at all, I'd say the time to make a move is now, before the storms grow too much stronger."

"I've already got Attila and Hun on the job."

"I understand, but as well-equipped and experienced as they are, I do not think they'll be able to hold out on their own. Perhaps it would be best to send a small support team down there as well, thus ensuring that the operation succeeds without any hassles."

"That can be arranged. Anything else?"

"Only that the Kanto and Johto regions have dispatched a few of their regional rangers to help out with the ongoing crisis. They shouldn't pose much of a problem, but it would be wise to keep an eye out, in case they meddle in our affairs."

"Very well, I'll keep that in mind. Continue to monitor the situation while I prepare for the journey, and keep me informed of any changes."

"Will do."

As the scientist departed, Giovanni continued to study the map. He took out a pen and made a mark near Pacifidlog Town. Then he drew an arrow pointing to the southwest coast of the mainland.

"Hmm. It seems the best place to be when that storm makes landfall would be in Petalburg," he remarked as he drew an X on the map. He grinned.

"I'm quite ready to ride out this storm and claim my prize."

* * *

"Well, that was certainly an interesting ride, wasn't it?"

"Certainly was some powerful turbulence. Thank heavens the pilots got us here okay," Dawn replied to her husband's musing as she continued to watch for their luggage in the baggage claim area. They hadn't waited too long for it – they'd been here for almost half an hour now, and the bags were now coming into sight.

"I don't know about you, but I'm getting famished. Wanna go find some place to eat at around here?" Dawn proposed as she took one of the bags off the conveyor belt.

Ash took another bag off the belt before responding. "Shortly. I want to touch base with Rodney and double-check with him that the Petalburg area is where I'm supposed to be at. Why don't you find us a place to eat at, and I'll come find you when I'm done?"

"Alright, I can do that," Dawn agreed as she leaned in to kiss her husband. "See you in a few."

Ash waved Dawn off as she disappeared into the mesh of people moving about. He then grabbed their luggage and carried it to a nearby rest area. As he pulled out his cell phone and dialed his boss's number, he took a moment to look out the window. Dark grey clouds blotted out much of the sky, and from the looks of things, there was a fair amount of wind blowing outside. All his gut instincts told him this particular storm was going to get much worse before it got better, and that's if it got better at all. The coming storm would be almost identical to, if not more destructive than, the storms he'd endured all those years ago, when the clash of Teams Magma and Aqua reached its climax.

The phone call to Rodney was short yet informative. After confirming that Ash was to be operating in the area of Petalburg City, Rodney explained his duties. In addition to providing assistance to local emergency workers, he was also authorized to conduct any investigations of interest, provided they didn't go too far outside his main area of operations. Judging from his tone, Rodney was relieved to hear that Ash had made it safely. He also reminded Ash of his luck – Rodney's own flight had been cancelled due to high turbulence, and would remain so for the foreseeable future.

Not that it was of any worry to Ash. He'd been through long odds many times throughout his life, and by luck or twist of fate, he'd prevailed. Whatever was amiss here, he would see it resolved before long. That was a promise.

A familiar rumble reminded him that he needed to track down his wife and, to sweeten the deal, devour a scrumptious meal. The airport wasn't terribly large, but he knew he'd have to keep an eye open to find her before too much time passed. Shoving his phone into his pocket, he collected the luggage and began his search.

* * *

James had a slight bit of difficulty opening the lock of his shop. He felt a brief bit of amusement as he thought that this must be what it's like to try unlocking one's car when said person is drunk. However, his persistent drowsiness quickly drowned out his mirth as he stumbled over to the large refrigerated displays where he kept his bouquets.

"Ah, remind me again what you wanted?" he asked softly.

His guest gave a small smile of understanding. "Yellow tulips. They're for a friend."

"Oh, yes," James smiled in reply, before turning back to the bouquets and looking for the tulips. Fortunately, the flowers' bright yellow petals and stalky stems made the plant easily distinguishable from the other similarly-colored plants. This was helpful to James, who otherwise would've grabbed the wrong bouquet in what could've started a string of failures.

He carefully handed the vase of flowers to May, who took a moment to sniff the petals. It was a wonderful scent. Exactly what she wanted. All that was needed was a small note to go with it.

After handing her a sheet of paper and a pencil, James found himself staring at the bouquet. A random thought seemed to force itself through the fogginess of his mind, and it piqued his curiosity. He turned back to the young brunette, who was busily scrawling a message on the paper.

"This isn't my place to ask, I suppose, but just why do you want yellow tulips? You know the romantic undertones of yellow are offset by the type of flower – tulip, in this case."

To his surprise, May showed no surprised reaction herself. She paused her writing to gaze at the flowers as well.

"I am aware of that. You see, this friend of mine – an ex-boyfriend, actually – recently asked me to reconcile with him. The thing, though, is that I've moved on whereas he hasn't."

"Oh, so that's it. May I inquire as to the particulars?"

May gave a slight frown. "I'm afraid I'm not comfortable talking about that right now."

"I'm sorry to ask. I was merely curious."

Silence dominated the area. While May put the finishing touches on her letter, James felt the last of his stamina slipping away. Taking one quick look outside, he could see it was late afternoon, and the sun lit everything in a bright orange light. His gaze dripped to the floor.

"Alright, thank you so much for doing this. What do I owe you?" May asked, beginning to fish around in her purse.

Her question caught James off guard. "Come again?"

May caught sight of the shopkeeper's eyes, and was also caught off guard by the sight. In the last few minutes, she'd forgotten how sleep-deprived he was. His eyes were almost visibly bloodshot, and had noticeable bags underneath.

"Um…What…do I owe?" she asked, feeling slightly unnerved by his appearance.

Business was not so bad that he needed every little penny. What he did need, though, was sleep, and lots of it. Making a transaction would only cost him time that could be spent snoozing, not to mention all the brainwork involved that he felt unable to perform.

"Don't worry about it," he replied simply.

"Oh, really?"

"Yes. Really."

"_Thank you!_" May squealed, then caught James off guard once again by hugging him and giving him a peck on the cheek. This was a pleasant surprise, though, and James wished he could do more than just weakly hug back.

The embrace ended shortly, and May took her new acquisitions with her to the doorway, where she made a pleased farewell and promise to return, before stepping out the door and out of sight.

James found the strength to hobble over to the door and secure the lock. He then curled up on a section of floor nearby and closed his eyes. Sleeping on cold, hard surfaces was not an unfamiliar experience to him, and this was certainly more comfortable that some other conditions he'd slept in. For a fleeting second, he listened to the hum of the refrigeration units and allowed them to lull him into a deep, peaceful sleep.

* * *

**Done! Been wanting to get this ready for a long while now! I'm thinking I'll try to get the next chapter ready by this weekend. Hopefully, this will sate your appetites until then. It feels go to be back again.**


End file.
